All 100 BCM councillors should be in dock, say Mandela fraud accused
Politicians and officials accused of the R10m Nelson Mandela fraud and corruption scandal in Buffalo City Metro are pushing the state hard to get the trial going.
They told the Dispatch of their frustrations over delays in their seven-year case.
Sacked health MEC Sindiswa Gomba accused the prosecution of delaying tactics, and accused the media of trying to “sell papers” and destroy her life.
But they also want to know why all the metro’s 100 councillors, who had endorsed a council decision to allocate funds for Mandela’s memorial services in December 2013, were not in the dock alongside them.
They were speaking after East London magistrate Annemarie Elliot on Tuesday postponed their case to July 28 to give state prosecutor advocate Ulrike de Klerk more time to furnish the defence teams with a final indictment.
De Klerk told Elliot a new investigating officer had been allocated for the case, which did not please the defence teams as they said their defence arguments were being hampered.
The 12 accused, including Gomba, who was a councillor at BCM at the time, made a brief appearance in a packed courtroom on Tuesday.
Alongside Gomba were the suspended ANC Dr WB Rubusana regional chair Pumlani Mkolo, former BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha, her former deputy Themba Tinta, then-council speaker Luleka Simon-ndzele, administrator Ondela Mahlangu, former BCM senior administrators Thembelani Sali and Nqaba Ludidi, and business figures Zintle Nkuhlu, Nosiphiwo Mati, Dean Fanoe and Viwe Vazi.
Gomba and Simon-ndzele told journalists from six media outlets that the delays were retarding their political lives and finances.
Gomba said the case, which was withdrawn a few years ago but reinstated earlier in 2021, was an emotional and financial drain on them and their families.
“These delaying tactics are really frustrating as we do not have money to be in court for seven years.
“We have lost income because of this, so for the court not to deal with this expediently is a challenge.
“It cannot be right that we have been in court for seven years, but have not taken the stand to argue our case.
“We thought that immediately after this was re-enrolled, we were going to get onto the stand and argue our case because the state said it was ready. But as you can see, they are not.
“For some it is nice that we are in court and our lives are at a standstill. “Why did they choose us out of all those BCM councillors?
“It is not important who brought the item to council — what is important is the resolution taken.
“So where are all those people who supported this resolution?
“They should all be here in court with us.
“We are losing money by paying lawyers, but even if you use our names to sell your papers, please remember that we are also human, and when you try to destroy my life, remember we have families who are also affected.
“Our children are severely affected. They are depressed, on drugs, and some have even stopped attending school because of the frustrations that come with us being in court for such a long time.”
Simon-ndzele said the case was “a political plot” to discredit and sideline them.
“The council records can show you that only one councillor objected to this money being allocated for this purpose. All of them in council were in support of this, but they are not here. Why is that?
“This is basically politics at play. If it was not politics, our then-chief whip Mr [Sangweni] Matwele should have been here with us, because he was part of the meeting the state is talking about,” said Simon-ndzele.