Council brawl case ‘will just collapse’

Maqula has a previous conviction for kidnapping a teenage boy

PORT ELIZABETH: ANC councillor Andile Lungisa yesterday told a group of supporters outside the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court that the Nelson Mandela Bay council brawl case would continue to be postponed until it went away.

The charges against councillors Gamalihleli Maqula, 28, and Lungisa, 39, relate to a brawl that broke out during a council meeting in October last year.

The pair appeared briefly in court yesterday where the case against them was again postponed.

Defence attorney Luthando Nqgakayi told the court he had submitted representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions, and said he was awaiting a response that could possibly affect the provisional trial dates.

“We can’t preempt the outcome, if it is not successful I may receive instructions to make representations to the national office,” said Nqgakayi.

Both councillors were excused from their next court date on September 14 when their lawyer is expected to advise on the way forward. The provisional trial date has been set down for October 25.

The councillors were supported by a group of ANC members who attended the court proceedings.

After the proceedings, Lungisa addressed the grouping, confident that the case against them would collapse.

“This case is going to collapse, there is no case. It was a conflict within the council, which is run by its policies. Any conflict within the council should be resolved by that council.

“The case will be postponed and postponed, the matter doesn’t belong in court. Even after September 14 the case will be postponed. There is no case, but we will come until the case goes,” said Lungisa.

Following the incident last year, the pair handed themselves over to the police and are out on bail of R1 000 each.

Maqula has a previous conviction for the kidnapping and assault of a teenage boy, and is serving a sentence of correctional supervision.

Last month, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality called an urgent media briefing, alleging that the complainants in the case, council Chief Whip Werner Senekal, and Mayoral committee head for roads and transport Rano Kayser, had received “verified death threats via SMS”, which the municipality claimed were linked to the case against Lungisa and Maqula.

It is alleged that Maqula stabbed Senekal in the back with a sharp object, while Lungisa apparently hit Kayser with a glass jug over his head during a council meeting that turned chaotic.

At the time, Nelson Mandela Bay municipality mayor Athol Trollip said there was “direct information there is a contract or hit team to do the work”, adding that there were continued concerns over the safety of members from his Mayoral Committee team. – ANA