MURDER TRIAL AGAINST FORMER ANC COUNCILLOR NGIBA POSTPONED AGAIN

Former eThekwini ANC councillor Mzimuni Ngiba, who served a short term between winning a by-election and being arrested for the murder of a predecessor, returned to the Durban High Court yesterday where his case was postponed again.

Judge Jacqueline Henriques instructed the defence counsel to conduct a pre-trial conference before May 17 and said the matter was set for trial on

June 13.

In March, the case was postponed to this month for a pre-trial conference, but the defence advocate could not be present at yesterday’s hearing due to a death in the family.

The judge told Nhlanhla Shange, who was standing in for the lead prosecutor, that she did not want to come across as unsympathetic, but the death of a relative shouldn’t have affected the prosecution's preparedness for a pre-trial.

Ngiba stands accused of killing his predecessor and election candidate, Siyabonga Mkhize, who had been on the ballot for the November 2021 election but was murdered, along with ANC activist Mzukisi Nyanga, at a party rally just weeks prior to the poll.

Ngiba then won the seat for Ward

101, which includes Manor Gardens, Cato Crest and Mayville, but did not serve long before he was arrested for the murders.

Ngiba, and four others in the dock with him, were allegedly involved the killing of Mkhize when Ngiba’s term was coming to an end after approximately 12 years of being the ward councillor.

Charged with murder, attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, along with Ngiba, were Nkosinathi Ngcobo, Sandile Mzizi, Sifiso Mlondo and Phathesakhe Ngiba.

According to court papers, there were two ANC factions within the ward: the Unity and Continuity (U&C) faction and the Renewal Rebuilding Unity (RRU) faction.