Courts

MBABANE - Ward 12, Malagwane Councillor Simangaliso Gama, who heads the Mbabane Municipality Finance Committee, has been reportedly suspended from work for his involvement in the illegal sale of a plot.

The chairman of the Finance Committee survived a severe sentence, which almost saw him losing his job after the recommendation of the tribunal which dealt with the matter.

The established tribunal was made of two independent law firms, with Dinasty Inc. Attorneys initiating the case with S.V. Mdladla and Associates chairing the proceedings. 

It has been gathered that the tribunal recommended that the mayor effect Clause 17.3 (e) of the Code of Conduct for the councillors of Mbabane.

The clause provides that the mayor requests the minister for Housing and Urban Development to remove the councillor from office.

Gama survived a severe sanction after appealing the verdict of the tribunal to the mayor in terms of the Code of Conduct.

Following Gama’s appeal, the mayor reportedly reduced the sentence from removal of the councillor from office and replaced it with a lesser sentence.

The lesser sentence holds that Gama be suspended from office for the period of two months effectively from November 1, 2025.

He has been removed from all committee of council assignments he is currently serving in, effectively from November 1, 2025, until and including the end of the civic year, April 30, 2026.

Gama has been suspended on condition that he reimburses the rightful owner the money he benefitted from the fraudulent sale of the land within six months starting in November.

It has been put to terms that a failure to compensate the rightful owner of the money would attract further sanctions. The costs of the case was E134 000.

Gama’s suspension followed a guilty verdict after he was accused of having colluded with one Hlengiwe Sibandze in the fraudulent sale of the plot to Diana Mnisi on June 3, 2024.

Full article available in our publication.

Ward 12, Malagwane Councillor Simangaliso Gama, who has been suspended for his involvement in illegal sale of a plot at Mahwalala. (Pic: File)