Bomb scare ends MEC Msibi’s bail hearing

THE bail hearing of axed MEC for Agriculture, Land Reform and Environmental Affairs in Mpumalanga Mandla Msibi was thrown into disarray yesterday by a bomb scare.

The magistrate was forced to halt proceedings after a bomb threat was made, with the police having to sweep the area.

Msibi, who had been fired the day before by Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, is facing two charges of murder and one of attempted murder.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa, said there was no court date yet. She said the date for the bail hearing would be known once it had been confirmed with them.

The police in Mpumalanga could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Msibi was arrested early this week, and last night he spent his third night in jail pending the bail application. His supporters have been flocking to the court in the capital, Mbombela.

The ANC in Mpumalanga condemned the violent attacks by its members. ANC acting provincial secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali said they had asked Msibi to step aside. She said they would also haul him before the ANC’s integrity commission and disciplinary committee.

“The Provincial Executive Council (PEC) has resolved that Msibi must step aside as a member of the ANC, PEC member, elections manager and Member of Executive Council until the case is concluded by the competent courts of the land consistent with the resolutions of the most recent National Executive Committee meeting of the ANC and the 54th National Conference, which resolved that all members charged with corruption and other serious crimes should step aside from all activities associated with the ANC,” said Ntshalintshali.

“This call for Msibi to step aside will happen concurrently with other formal procedures of the ANC which take place when its members and leaders are found to be in conflict with the law. This includes appearing in front of the integrity commission and disciplinary committee,” she said.

Msibi’s bail hearing comes as Mtsweni-Tsipane is looking for his permanent replacement in the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Environmental Affairs.

Mtsweni-Tsipane said this week that Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Busisiwe Shiba would act in the position until there had been a change in the Cabinet.

She did not indicate when that would happen.