Mayor Richard Mbatha and the two others accused, Estcourt Councillor, Mthembeni Majola and the alleged hitman, Xolani ‘Shorty’ Makhathini, have just been granted bail of R2000 each.

They are charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder: It is alleged  Mayor Mbatha and his co-accused conspired to assassinate Council Speaker, Bongiwe Mbatha-Makhathini, and the head of a security company.

The State sensationally dropped their opposition to the accused being granted bail in the Estcourt Court after what was called a ‘weak and fairytale-like evidence’ led by the investigating officer, Milton Ndlovu, a member of the Pietermaritzburg Organised Crime for the past 28 years.

Bail was granted on condition that the accused report personally for the next court date in Estcourt of July 4 and that they have no contact with the prosecution or witnesses. Mayor Mbatha was warned that communication with Speaker Bongiwe Mbatha-Makhathini, would be through their personal assistants

Earlier Mayor Mbatha told the Court that he is the sole breadwinner for this family and supports his elderly parents who are 78 and 74 year old and his three children, aged 1, 5 and 8, are solely dependent on him. Mayor Mbatha opined that he deals with the political (oversight) role at municipality and not administrative, would not have access to tenders. The allegation is that the Speaker suspected undue interference with the awarding of a housing tender and that’s when the plot to kill her was hatched. The Court has now adjourned for lunch.