Port Elizabeth - African National Congress (ANC) councillor Andile Lungisa has vowed that the Nelson Nelson Mandela Bay council brawl case will continue to be postponed until it goes away, he told a group of supporters outside the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
The charges against councillors Gamalihleli Maqula, 28, and Lungisa, 39, relate to a violent brawl which broke out during a council meeting in October last year.
The pair appeared briefly in court on Wednesday where the case against them was once again postponed.
Defence attorney Luthando Nqgakayi told the court that he had submitted representations to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and he was awaiting a response which could possibly affect the provisional trial dates.
"We can't preempt the outcome, if it is not successful I may receive instructions to make representations to the national office," said Nqgakayi.
Both the councillors were excused from their next court date on September 14 when their lawyer is expected to advise on a way forward.
The provisional trial date has been set down for October 25.
The councillors were supported by a group of ANC members who attended court proceedings.
After court proceedings, Lungisa addressed the grouping, confident that the case against them would collapse.
"This case is going to collapse, there is no case. It was a conflict within the council which is run by its policies. Any conflict within the council should be resolved by that council.
"The case will be postponed and postponed, the matter doesn't belong in court. Even after the 14th [September] the case will be postponed. There is no case but we will come until the case goes," said Lungisa.
Following the incident last year, the pair handed themselves over to police and are currently out on bail of R1,000 each.
Maqula has a previous conviction for kidnapping and assault of a teenage boy and is currently serving a sentence of correctional supervision.
Last month, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality called an urgent media briefing, alleging that the complainants in the case, Chief Whip of council Werner Senekal, and Mayoral committee head for roads and transport, Rano Kayser, had received "verified death threats via SMS", which the municipality claimed were linked to the ongoing criminal case against Lungisa and Maqula.
It is alleged that Maqula stabbed Senekal in the back with a sharp object, while Lungisa apparently hit Kayser, with a glass jug over his head during the council meeting which turned chaotic.
At the time, Nelson Mandela Bay municipality mayor Athol Trollip, said that there was "direct information there is a contract or hit team to do the work", adding that there were continued concerns over the safety of members from his Mayoral Committee team.
The ANC has since slammed the DA coalition government for "insinuating" that ANC members were involved.