Johannesburg – Nelson Mandela Bay ANC councillor Andile Lungisa has been granted R10 000 bail by the Makhanda High Court and will be freed from prison, pending the outcome of his leave to appeal application at the Constitutional Court.
Lungisa was sentenced to two years in prison for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after smashing a glass jug on the head of DA councillor Rayno Kayser during a fight in the council chambers in October 2016.
It has been reported the High Court said that denying Lungisa bail would have been an unnecessary deprivation of his freedom and that if the ANC councillor’s Constitutional Court appeal failed he would have to serve his two-year prison sentence.
Amongst the first senior political figures to welcome the news of Lungisa’s successful bail hearing was EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu.
“It’s great that Cde Andile Lungisa has been granted bail. The legal team must keep him out of jail permanently. He’s not a menace to society and does not pose any physical threat to anyone. Be strong @mrlungisa! The system is doing everything to suppress fighters for economic freedom,” Shivambu wrote on Twitter.
Former Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Anthony Trollip said that Lungisa had become so accustomed to insulting and threatening people, making outrageous statements and allegations and breaking the law it was high time he be held accountable for his behaviour.
Last week, following Lungisa’s sentencing, Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina said they would continue the struggle to free Lungisa and urged their generation should rise beyond pettiness and divisions.
“We don’t want to inherit the organisation in opposition benches nor wake up with the party hijacked,” Masina said.
Political Bureau