Man enters court premises with 'positive' Covid-19 results

There was drama at the Nelspruit magistrate's court on Thursday morning when a man entered the courtroom carrying a positive Covid-19 result. 

The man was attending the double murder and attempted murder case against former Mpumalanga agriculture MEC Mandla Msibi and five co-accused. Msibi is suspended from his role of election manager for the ANC in Mpumalanga.  

People attending the court had to wait outside for some time before the case could start, as security personnel advised attendees of the problem. 

“You can't enter now as they are verifying if indeed the man's results are recent,” a security personnel member told Sowetan. 

The court was reopened after about an hour. However, there was another one-hour delay when the clerk learned that the court’s recording machine was broken. 

Msibi and another five men, Njabulo Shugulugu Mkhonto, Buddah Mdluli, Anele Mnisi, Tsepo Matsane and Charlie Ngwenya, are facing two counts of murder and an attempted murder charge.

Their arrest came after an August 22 incident outside Coyotes Shisa Nyama in Mbombela in which Sindela Sipho Lubisi and Dingane Ngwenya were killed. Sfiso Mpila was injured. 

They have all pleaded not guilty and are out on R20,000 bail each. 

Community and ANC members flooded Bester Street outside the court singing struggle songs and chanting “Free Msibi” and some were carrying placards reading “Msibi is innocent”.

When the case eventually resumed, state prosecutor Leana Jones told the court the state was asking for a postponement for finalisation of the indictment. 

“The case was postponed for further investigation and also a decision from the national director of prosecutions (NDPP). However, the NDPP said we should request a postponement for finalisation of the indictment,” said Jones. 

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