Mayor’s former bodyguard charged with murder Amayor,
former bodyguard of Msunduzi
Mzimkhulu Thebolla, appeared briefly in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court yesterday on a charge of murder.
Mzwemali Vincent Ngubane (42) was remanded in custody and will appear in court again on May 11, for a formal bail application.
He is alleged to have murdered 22-yearold Nkosinathi Radebe.
Radebe is believed to have been shot dead on Wednesday evening while walking home with his friends after watching soccer. His body was discovered two days later dumped in a river in Edendale.
Msunduzi Municipality released a statement on Sunday afternoon stressing that the man arrested was a former bodyguard of Thebolla, and not a current bodyguard.
In the statement the municipality said it was shocked about the "grossly dishonest and misleading statement that has recently been circulating on social media platforms suggesting that the employee arrested is the bodyguard and a trusted ally of Thebolla.
Similarly, the mayor has taken umbrage over the lies being peddled in his name, as the allegations made in that statement border on defamation of his character".
"We would like to place it on record that the suspect who was arrested is still employed at the municipality. He is a former bodyguard of the mayor.
"His tenure as the mayor's bodyguard ended months ago when he secured a permanent position in another department within the municipality," the statement read.
City manager, Lulamile Mapholoba, said as soon as he became aware of the circulating message he started investigating the matter. "We condemn this unfortunate incident with the contempt it deserves and we assure the community of Msunduzi that strong disciplinary action will be taken in line with the municipality's disciplinary code. The employee has put the municipality into disrepute. There is no damage control to be done. We believe in the rule of law and we will assist the SAPS in any way we can to enable the law to take its course," said Mapholoba.