By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The fraud charges against former executive mayor of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda, have been provisionally withdrawn.
Gwamanda and his co-accused Mduduzi Zonde appeared briefly in Protea Magistrates’ Court.
Gwamanda’s previous appearance was postponed as the State was yet to disclose documents such as the charge sheet and trial readiness certificate.
During the proceedings, the court was informed that the matter was set for the issuance of a trial-ready certificate.
However, the prosecutor explained that the State did not enough documents to support their case at this stage, leading to the provisional withdrawal of charges against both individuals.
Gwamanda maintained his innocence, saying the fraud charges against him are malicious and political.
“As indicated previously, there is no evidence that points to any activities that points to fraud. It is an issue of a politically motivated attack on an individual that is somewhat different from many politicians.
“I don’t know the reason for them to take that kind of posture, but it is important to use the structures available to us to prove either innocence or guilt,” he said.
He and his co-accused allegedly defrauded Soweto residents in a funeral policy scheme which ran between 2011 and 2012 through his then company Ithemba lama Afrika.
Gwamanda was the executive mayor of South Africa’s largest metropolitan between May 2023 and August 2024. He called it quits following intense pressure from opposition parties and civil organisations.