The bail hearing of uThukela District Municipal Manager Langelihle Jili and his co-accused, Bongumenzi Dlamini, was finalised today (November 3) in the Durban Magistrate’s Court.

Jili was denied bail.

Co-accused Dlamini was granted bail in the amount of R20,000.

The presiding officer, Magistrate Garth Davis, found that there was very little substance to the assertion that Jili is the sole provider for his children and the running of the household. “The role of his wife in the running of the household was not canvassed, other than she is married to him,” said Davis. The fact that Jili’s wife is a medical doctor was not contained in the affidavit Jili submitted to court in support of his application for bail.

“Jili has shown prima facie a complete disregard for the law and law enforcement,” Davis found.

Defence attorney Paul Jorgensen said he is filing an appeal to the outcome of the bail proceedings in the High Court as soon as he receives a transcript.

Regarding Dlamini, Davis stated that, “Dlamini is only implicated in the commission of the second count. Other than he was the person who brought the bag of money to the offices of the DPCI and handed it over to Jili, who counted it and handed it to the police, his role is unknown. At this time, he appears to be the ‘courier’.”

The matter has been postponed to December 9, 2026, for further investigation.

Jili and Dlamini are both charged with corruption. Jili was arrested after he allegedly accepted a R100,000 bribe from a municipal service provider in an undercover trap operation authorised by the DPCI (Department of Priority Crime Investigation).

Investigating officer in the Serious Corruption Investigation Unit, Warrant Officer Nkosinathi Dlamini, testified in the bail hearing that, following his arrest, Jili attempted to bribe police officers, offering them R600,000 to let him go.

Checkers cooler bag filled with cash

The R600,000 was delivered in a Checkers cooler bag to the offices of the Commercial Crimes Unit in Durban by Dlamini, who was subsequently arrested as well.

Both men made their first appearance in court on October 23 and their bail hearing commenced on October 27.

Acting municipal manager

uThukela District Municipality has appointed Mr OS Mnguni (general manager: Corporate Services) as the new acting municipal manager, following a council resolution adopted on October 29.

The appointment follows the decision to place Jili on special leave.

uThukela mayor under fire from DA

uThukela District Mayor Inkosi Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala was expected to testify in support of Jili’s return to work, should he be released on bail.

However, defence attorney Paul Jorgensen explained that a decision had been taken to accept that Jili would not be able to return to work if it were made a condition of his bail.

In a letter Jorgensen submitted to the court, Shabalala stated that uThukela Municipality “…supports that the municipal manager is innocent until proven guilty and is willing to accept Mr Jili back to work.”

DA lash out at mayor

DA uThukela chairman Cllr Thys Janse van Rensburg, who spoke out strongly against the letter, accused Shabalala of being more concerned with protecting the corruption-accused municipal manager than protecting the public while the Hawks investigate.

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