Nelson Mandela Bay ANC Ward Councillor Bongo Nombiba is a free man, for now, following his successful bid for bail.
The Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court granted Nombiba bail of R2000 pending a petition to appeal both his conviction and five-year sentence for fraud and money laundering.
He was found guilty of fleecing the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality out of R20 000 from a discretionary fund meant for a township-based NGO back in April.
Nombiba's family and the ANC members, including the Andile Lungisa, who was recently granted bail for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, were in court to support the councillor.
ANC Regional Secretary Themba Xathula spoke to the media following the ruling and said justice had been served.
"As the ANC we want to say openly that justice has been served and we will expect him to start with his duties as a councillor, and he must go back to the chamber," he said.
Xathula said he believed that Ward 20 community would be happy to have Nombiba back.
"He was a people's councillor, very popular and he was involved in sport and the president of the Zwide Football Association, he is a man of integrity," he added.
Meanwhile, The Electoral Commission of South Africa said it would not be holding by-elections in Ward 20 after the scheduled by-election was suspended by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality City Manager, Johan Mettler.
The by-election was scheduled for the 25th of July.
IEC spokesperson in Nelson Mandela Bay, Crosby Bacela, said the by-election was not scheduled by the IEC but it was the municipality who made the call and informed the commision that there was a vacancy.
"It was the municipality that informed the IEC that there was a vacancy hence we filled in that vacancy by means of a by-election. So in my understanding the by-election is no longer taking place until the municipal manager confirms to us then the IEC will be able to fill in that vacancy," Bacela said.
