Cape Town - The drug case of a senior Western Cape government official was postponed by the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
David McNamara, 48, was to have appeared but was recovering from a knee operation, his lawyer William Booth told the court.
“I've been advised by (the orthopaedic surgeon) and my client that he's off until July 31. We're going to request that his warrant be stayed over until then,” he said.
“May I just say that it was the full reconstruction of his left knee, just to stress the seriousness of the situation.”
Magistrate Ingrid Arntsen postponed the case and held over a warrant for McNamara's arrest.
He was arrested on June 28 last year, in the Cape Town CBD, allegedly in possession of a broken bottle neck, used as a pipe to inhale the fumes of burning tik (crystal methamphetamine), and seven plastic bags containing tik residue.
He failed to appear in court in April, and a warrant of arrest was issued. At the time, the magistrate warned that the warrant would be executed if he did not make his next appearance.
McNamara, who is the provincial community development director, is on special leave pending internal proceedings.
The department's special programmes unit, which is involved in combating drug abuse, is part of his portfolio. - Sapa