Premier releases MEC Mandla Msibi from his position
This comes after his appearance in court on two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
The premier of Mpumalanga, Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, has suspended Mandla Msibi, the MEC of the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, from his position with immediate effect.
This comes after he handed himself over to police on Monday, accompanied by his lawyer. He was arrested in connection with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
He is expected to appear in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court again tomorrow (Wednesday) after an application for bail was postponed earlier today.
ALSO READ: MEC Mandla Msibi in court on charges of murder and attempted murder – will apply for bail on Tuesday
The premier, in a media briefing held this evening (Tuesday), said that due to the seriousness of the charges and the expectation that he would dedicate a fair amount of time to the case, he had been relieved of his position as MEC.
Busisiwe Shiba will act in Msibi’s former position.
Mtshewni-Tsipane stated that she considered Msibi a comrade, that she has known him for a long time and holds him in high regard. She emphasised that he should have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
If Msibi were to be found not guilty, the premier said she would then be free to make him a part of her executive council once again.
ALSO READ: MEC Mandla Msibi in court again on Wednesday for bail application
In the meantime he will remain an ordinary member of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature.
She said it has only recently become a policy of the ANC that someone step down under these circumstances and that this was an effort to redeem the integrity of the organisation.
This move, she said, was both in the best interest of the ANC as well as Mpumalanga.
