Double murder accused Mandla Msibi – the Mpumalanga agriculture MEC – will have to spend another night behind bars after his bail hearing was postponed to Wednesday.
The MEC was arrested on Monday after he handed himself to the police. The 45-year-old politician faces two counts of murder and one of attempted murder.
Msibi’s brief appearance in the Mbombela (Nelspruit) Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday was his second time in as many days. The murder accused MEC first appeared in court on Monday.
When Msibi was arrested on Monday, national police spokesperson, Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, said the MEC was alleged to have been involved in a shooting, where two people were shot dead and a third person was wounded.
The shootings occurred on Sunday, 22 August 2021 in Mbombela.
Outside the court, there was a high police presence and a group of African National Congress (ANC) supporters showing support for Msibi, a senior party member.
The ANC is under pressure to relieve Msibi of his MEC position in line with its step aside policy for those members accused of serious wrongdoing.
Some yet to be confirmed reports suggest that ANC leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa, has instructed Mpumalanga party structures to implement the step aside policy.
