Alfred Duma Municipality Mayor, Vincent Madlala, and his daughter, Sanelisiwe Madlala, were granted R10 000 bail and released after appearing in the Ezakheni Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 2 August.
Mayor Madlala and his daughter are both facing charges for defeating the ends of justice. Sanelisiwe Madlala will also be charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Mayor Madlala’s two sons and three other suspects were denied bail and remain in police custody. The five are facing nine charges of murder and being in possession of firearms. The community of Ladysmith was kept in the dark and no comment could be retrieved from officials at the time of the arrests. The mayor was arrested at his home in Ezakheni, Section E, on Thursday morning, 29 July, with other arrests following on Friday, 30 July. Heavily armed police had swooped down on the mayor’s house and community members said that the police just rushed in. “We were not sure what was going on, only to see that the mayor was being led out by police in handcuffs,” said one of the witnesses.
Mayor Madlala, his daughter, two sons and three other suspects briefly appeared in the Ezakheni Magistrate’s Court. Media was not allowed inside and a heavy police presence could be seen outside the court. The Ladysmith Herald finally received a press release from Alfred Duma Municipality Communications and Intergovernmental Relations Officer, Siyabonga Maphalala. Maphalala said that it should be noted that a presentation will be made by the investigating officer on his next appearance in the Ezakheni Magistrate’s Court which will provide more details on why and how he defeated the ends of justice. “In responding to a matter of interest as submitted through media enquiries on whether the mayor will ‘step aside or resign’, I can confirm that the mayor will consult his legal team and acquire proper guidance in relation to the case which will ultimately be presented to the leadership of the ANC. Council will adhere to procedural protocols through consultation with policy prescripts on how to address the matter,” added Maphalala.
Alfred Duma Municipality said that at this stage it would be premature to conclude on the matter and they urge that everyone give space to the court to process the matter. Lawyer, Justin Heunis, who is representing the mayor, reported that his client’s arrest is politically motivated. Alfred Duma Municipality said that Mayor Madlala is leading a council which was established through the political will of the people and this council executes its mandate through lawful means as guided by government legislation and policies, thus Mayor Madlala himself has committed to comply with all legal requirements and presentations required from him in relation to the case. “To address speculations and rumours, I can confirm that conspiracy theories will not assist anyone at this stage. Let us all observe protocols and have faith in the law enforcement agencies as well as the judiciary and allow them to process the matter without prejudice,” said Maphalala.
Maphalala further added that preconceived opinions, which are not based on reason or actual evidence, are not required at this stage taking into account that there is a pending investigation, thus we cannot conclude that the mayor is facing corruption chargers or was found with illegal firearms or was charged for politically-related killings in the region/province as some media correspondence reported. Council appeals for calm and patience from all sectors of society and, more especially, from the community within which the mayor serves. The Security Cluster at National and Provincial Management Echelons will provide updates on the matter at a convenient time through the Ministry or SAPS Communications Unit. Based on Covid-19 health and safety procedures, no municipal officials except those delegated by the municipal manager or members of the community are required to attend court proceedings or gather outside the court unlawfully. “In conclusion, Council would like to re-affirm the constituency it serves that the municipality continues to function and continues to render municipal services as expected.”
The ANC Provincial Spokesperson, Nhlakanipho Ntombela, said that they are aware of the charges and arrests, but are awaiting the police report before comments can be given. “The DA notes with disgust the scandalous rumours concerning the arrest of yet another ANC mayor. The Hawks seem to ‘visit’ the ADLM mayor on a regular basis and, true to ANC form, the ANC is unable to implement basic consequence management. The splintering of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is a well-known fact – perhaps the charges are ‘trumped up’ again by opposition within an impotent ANC?” said DA Councillor, Sharon Buys. Buys added that needless to say, this is unacceptable on every level as the ADLM’s reputation is brought into disrepute time and time again. The DA will therefore introduce a motion of no confidence in Vincent Madlala as the mayor. The DA calls upon all councillors who believe in maintaining the integrity of the council, as well as that there should be consequences to support the motion of no confidence. The mayor will appear in court on 22 August while the other five suspects will appear for bail application on Tuesday, 10 August.
