Andile Lungisa ‘exchanging chocolates’ with his assault victim: supporters

Andile Lungisa's supporters have claimed that the assault conviction against him is political.

According to them, Lungisa had already “kissed and made up” with his victim, Rano Kayser.

Abner Mosaase, a former ANC Youth League (ANCYL) leader who served in its national executive committee (NEC) when Lungisa was its deputy president, believes politics is at play.

Speaking on behalf of a group of supporters calling for #JusticeForLungisa, Mosaase said Lungisa was a victim of his political beliefs and the “posture” he took at the ANC Nasrec conference, where he supported Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the party’s top position.

Furthermore, he believes Lungisa’s case was not heard properly, adding that evidence that proved he assaulted Kayser in self-defence was ignored by the courts.

Mosaase accused “courts in the Eastern Cape” of being “untransformed”, saying they played into DA hands.

Speaking outside the Constitutional Court on Monday, Mosaase said former ANCYL leaders would throw their weight behind Lungisa because the “injustice” that happened to him could happen to any of them if they kept silent.

“Former leaders of the ANCYL have agreed that there needs to be justice for Andile Lungisa because we believe that his case was not handled fairly. We are also clear that the courts did not detail the issues as they were presented by Andile and his lawyers,” he said.

“Andile Lungisa himself has been punished enough. He has vacated the seat that he held as an MMC in the Nelson Mandela metro municipality, which is the highest form of remorse.

“Andile Lungisa has already reached out to Mr Rano, the gentleman he assaulted with a jug. They kissed and made up. They are family friends — they see each other regularly and they are even exchanging chocolates.”

Lungisa’s appeal of his two-year conviction was dismissed by the Supreme Court of Appeal last week. He was convicted of assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm after smashing a glass water jug over the DA councillor's head during a heated council meeting in 2016.

Lungisa is now heading to the Constitutional Court to seek relief — despite being given 48 hours to report to correctional services in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday to start serving his sentence.

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