Former Joburg MMC Kabelo Gwamanda mulls legal action against the NPA
Kabelo Gwamanda is allegedly contemplating legal action against the NPA for lost income following the dismissal of fraud charges against him on Tuesday.
Former Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda claims the fraud case against him was driven by political motives, aiming to tarnish his reputation and character.
On Tuesday, 25 February, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) temporarily dropped the charges against Gwamanda and his co-accused Mduduzi Zondo.
Gwamanda and Zondo were charged with fraud related to an alleged funeral policy scam where unsuspecting residents from Soweto were allegedly deceived into paying monthly contributions purported to be funeral policies to iThemba Lama Afrika, a company in which the two were directors.
KABELO GWAMANDA CONSIDERING USING THE NPA
The South African previously reported that when Gwamanda was elected mayor in 2023, then-DA councillor in the metro, Mpho Phalatse, accused the Al Jama-ah member of running a fraudulent ponzi scheme. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) also confirmed that it investigated complaints received about the Al Jama-ah ember and his burial scheme, Ithemba Lama Afrika.
In November 2024, Gwamanda was fired as a member of mayoral committee (MMC) for community development in the City of Johannesburg.
Joburg mayor Dada Morero had placed Gwamanda on special leave in October after he was arrested and charged with fraud and corruption for allegedly swindling Soweto residents through his burial scheme.
On Tuesday, NPA spokesperson in Gauteng, Phindi Mjonondwane, said the decision to provisionally withdraw the charges against Gwamanda and Zondo is based on the fact that additional complainants came forward, which necessitated further investigations that were not anticipated at the inception of the case.
“Once these investigations have been finalised, criminal proceedings will be re-instituted,” she said.
On the other hand, Gwamanda is reportedly considering the NPA for loss of income as the fraud charges led to him being fired as Joburg mayor and MMC for community development.
Kabelo Gwamanda told Eyewitness News that he would hold accountable the elected officials from the Johannesburg municipality who “pushed him out” of the two jobs based on the charges against him.
“To ensure the decisions they take not only serve them, but they serve the benefit of the structure of the government of the day, and also the structure of those that would have voted for every political party that is there. So, I don’t know, maybe the Speaker owes a lifetime of a salary, but we will get a determination after the court processes,” he said.