An Eastern Cape mayor has failed to meet a demand that he pay R2m "for damages suffered" after being accused of having extra-marital relations with a married personal assistant.

The mayor, having failed to meet a deadline imposed by lawyers acting for the aggrieved husband, could end up in court as the lawyers are now considering issuing summons. 

The husband, a medical practitioner, instructed his lawyers in March to issue a letter of demand to the mayor "for damages suffered by our client as a result of your wrongful conduct".

In the letter, the lawyers detail the husband's grievance against the mayor.

"On Tuesday the 5th of March 2019 our client's wife ... went out of their house and did not return the same day," reads the letter of demand.

"Upon our client identifying the latter he tried to call his wife whose phones all went on voicemail. Upon our client waiting for the return of his wife, he ... waited outside until midnight and his wife had not returned. 

"On the 6th of March at about 4am a [vehicle] which belongs to [a municipality] and specifically designated to the mayor drove past our client's house, dropped off our client's wife and drove off.

"Our client ... gave chase to the vehicle and that is when the above discovery was made as to who the owner of the said vehicle was."

The letter said when confronted, the wife "admitted that you were having an extra-marital relationship with her". 

The man's attorney on Monday confirmed to SowetanLIVE that the mayor had failed to concede to their demand for damages within the stipulated time-frame.

"We are still in consultation with our counsel in respect of how we are going to proceed with the matter. After consultation, if it yields the kind of advice we are looking for, we are going to be issuing the summons but we are not there yet," said the attorney.

The mayor refused to comment, saying: "I do not talk to the media about anything that relates to my life." 

• SowetanLIVE has elected not to name the parties involved.