Pretoria – The Nelspruit Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning was scheduled to continue with the bail hearing for Mpumalanga MEC for Agriculture, Rural Development and Environmental Affairs Mandla Msibi.
Mandla Msibi and his two co-accused, Anele Sonke Mnisi (26) and Njabulo Mkhonto (28), are facing two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, according to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson Monica Nyuswa.
“This is in connection with the incident where two victims, Dingaan Ngwenya and Sindela Lubisi, were fatally shot and a third one wounded. It happened in Nelspruit Cayotes Shisanyama on 22 August 2021,” said Nyuswa.
The trio's appearance brings the total number of accused in the case to five.
“Charlie Ngwenya (35) and Tsepo Matsane (30) were arrested, appeared in court and granted bail of R20 000 each on strict conditions in September.”
She said, following Msibi’s court appearance on Tuesday, “the matter is rolled over” until Wednesday for further hearing in the Nelspruit Magistrates' Court at 11am.
On Monday, the South African Police Service confirmed that the 45-year-old MEC was arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder after handing himself over.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said on Monday that the MEC was appearing in court on charges of murder and attempted murder.
“This morning (Monday), a member of the executive council (MEC) in Mpumalanga, accompanied by his attorney, handed himself over to police in Nelspruit in connection with at least two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder,” Naidoo said.
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