Durban — eThekwini Municipality councillor Mzimuni Ngiba and his three co-accused will appear in the Durban High Court on July 17, facing two counts of murder.
Ngiba, the ANC councillor of eThekwini ward 101 Cato Crest is alleged to have killed Siyabonga Mkhize, an ANC ward candidate and Mzukisi Nyanga, an ANC activist. Both the men were killed in 2021 just before the nationwide local government elections.
Ngiba and his co-accused are face two counts of attempted murder involving Simphiwe Mlungisi Khanyile and Sicelo Notyesi.
The four are also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition. They made a brief court appearance on Tuesday.
The State alleges that Ngiba and his co-accused, Nkosinathi Ngcobo, Sandile Mzizi and Sifiso Mlondo conspired to kill Mkhize who contested the position of being ward councillor. Ngiba’s term was coming to an end after approximately 12 years of being councillor in ward 101.
The State alleges that there were two ANC factions within the ward, one called Unity and Continuity (U&C) and the other Renewal Rebuilding Unity (RRU).
The deceased were members of the U&C faction and the four accused members of the RRU camp.
Mkhize won as the ward councillor candidate after the ANC held branch general meetings to hold elections for the ward candidate.
The State further said the accused and some members of the RRU were not happy with the election of Mkhize and made attempts to derail his formal endorsement by the ANC at eThekwini Municipality but failed.
“As a result, the four accused and others conspired to have the victim killed and such killing be committed prior to the national local government elections which were to take place in November 2021,” said the State.
The matter was postponed to July 17 with the trial expected to begin in 2024. Recently Ngiba has been the talk of the town for still receiving his remuneration from the eThekwini Municipality despite being behind bars for the past 12 months.
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