Hawks withdraw ex-mayor’s perjury charges

FORMER Amathole district municipality (ADM) executive mayor Nomasikizi Konza can breathe a partial sigh of relief now that perjury charges against her have been withdrawn by the state.

In July the Hawks claimed the former mayor had lied under oath during her bail application in May in a fraud case which is still before court.

Konza was arrested earlier this year in connection with R2.5-million the district municipality donated to a beauty pageant in 2015. The pageant was organised by a political ally, Nanziwe Rulashe.

Rulashe is a former ANC ward councillor in Nkonkobe municipality and former chairwoman of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (Mpac) at ADM.

Konzawas granted R15 000 bail at the time.

In July, the Hawks served the perjury summons saying Konza had told the court she could not afford the R50 000 bail it first asked for as she earned a monthly salary of R30 000.

Konza allegedly further told the court she lived in an RDP house in Cathcart.

The Hawks said they had investigated both claims and found that Konza had lied about both her salary and her fixed residential address.

Konza’s lawyer Busi Masiso of Malusi & Co Attorneys said: “The state decided to withdraw the charge because it did not have confidence in its own case.

“This is vindication for our client. It has been our view that there never was merit on the perjury charges, even the fraud charges.”

Her trial date is set for March. The Eastern Cape Hawks had not responded to questions on the matter at the time of writing. —