Msibi, co-accused's case withdrawn due to outstanding info

Despite the murder charges against former agricultural MEC Mandla Msibi and his co-accused being withdrawn, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the accused are not off the hook yet.

Speaking to Sowetan outside the Mbombela high court in Mpumalanga on Monday morning, NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said the reason for the withdrawal was because there was an outstanding information in the case. 

"I can confirm that the charges against the former MEC and co-accused have been withdrawn. This is due to outstanding information detected by the prosecution dealing with the matter. So we took a decision of provisionally withdrawing the charges pending the outstanding information," said Nyuswa. 

Nyuswa said though they can't reveal the outstanding information, once such information has been obtained, the case will be brought back to court.

In a brief appearance in what was supposed to be the start of the double murder trial, judge Brian Mashile said: "That doesn't mean the case has been won, but if the state gets information they may call back the accused."

Msibi along with his co-accused Joseph Charlie Ngwenya, Eddie Matsane, Anele Sonke Mnisi, Njabulo Mkhonto and Sibusiso Vincent Mdhluli are accused of killing Sindile Lubisi and Dingaan Ngwenya and injuring Sfiso Mpila in August last year at a shisanyama in Mbombela.

They were arrested on October 11 after handing themselves over to the police. 

Some of the people who came to support Msibi were the MEC for social development and deputy provincial secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, former health MEC Gillion Mashego and former MEC for community safety, security and liaison Pat Ngomane. 

Msibi is the current ANC treasurer in Mpumalanga. He lost his MEC position after premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane fired him two days after he was charged.

Outside the court, Ntshalintshali said the release of Msibi is a harsh lesson for the ruling party about its step-aside rule. She said they had warned the party about the wrong usage of the rule to purge and create false cases against its members. 

"Before I came to support Mandla Msibi I had to call the [ANC] integrity committee to explain why I needed to come here. 

"There were people who did worse [than Msibi] but they were not called by the integrity commission. Today this is a harsh lesson for the ANC. I'm happy that the branches of the ANC elected Msibi even though he was on step-aside [rule]," said Ntshalintshali. 

Msibi said he wants to see those who purported the "baseless arrest" being punished.

"Above what Ntshalintshali has said, people should learn that if you are a comrade you are going to face hardships. I want to say here that I'm not angry against anyone but the truth must come out. I always said had they done this to a person who is not strong enough, that person would have died.

"I'm back now and tomorrow I'm going to work at the office of the provincial treasurer. I want its keys back so that I can go to work. The ANC needs to have money so that they don't cut out electricity, we need to fundraise and have a good ANC. Let's go to work as branches of the ANC and, in December, go correct other things."