A series of delays which included traffic, the unavailability of a Zulu interpreter and technical glitches in court recording machines resulted in the postponement of the trial of former Ingwe mayor Nomagugu Luzulane.
Luzulane, 43, faces a string of charges relating to the theft of R71,500 during her tenure as mayor of the KwaZulu-Natal south coast municipality in 2012.
Luzulane is accused of being in cahoots with other people to requisition catering, sound systems, chairs and food parcels under operation MBO — a government programme to assist victims of abuse. This created an impression the funds would be used for a legitimate municipal function when they were allegedly used for a private function.
Luzulane also faced a corruption charge for allegedly accepting a R50,000 bribe, which was withdrawn after the death of a state witness
The municipality, which fell under the Harry Gwala district municipality, has since been amalgamated with KwaSani municipality to become the Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma municipality.
Advocate Niven Rai, for Luzulane, was set to cross-examine state witness Mmabathu Brown, who was employed as the municipal manager, when the case was adjourned.
The court has previously heard testimony from personal assistants of Luzulane and Brown. The current municipal manager has also testified.
Luzulane has since swapped her mayoral chains for a teaching job.
Magistrate Garth Davis postponed the matter to October 27.
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Glitches halt trial of former KZN mayor
Image: 123RF/Lukas Gojda
A series of delays which included traffic, the unavailability of a Zulu interpreter and technical glitches in court recording machines resulted in the postponement of the trial of former Ingwe mayor Nomagugu Luzulane.
Luzulane, 43, faces a string of charges relating to the theft of R71,500 during her tenure as mayor of the KwaZulu-Natal south coast municipality in 2012.
Luzulane is accused of being in cahoots with other people to requisition catering, sound systems, chairs and food parcels under operation MBO — a government programme to assist victims of abuse. This created an impression the funds would be used for a legitimate municipal function when they were allegedly used for a private function.
Luzulane also faced a corruption charge for allegedly accepting a R50,000 bribe, which was withdrawn after the death of a state witness
The municipality, which fell under the Harry Gwala district municipality, has since been amalgamated with KwaSani municipality to become the Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma municipality.
Advocate Niven Rai, for Luzulane, was set to cross-examine state witness Mmabathu Brown, who was employed as the municipal manager, when the case was adjourned.
The court has previously heard testimony from personal assistants of Luzulane and Brown. The current municipal manager has also testified.
Luzulane has since swapped her mayoral chains for a teaching job.
Magistrate Garth Davis postponed the matter to October 27.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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