Lungisa's bail conditions relaxed for China trip
Andile Lungisa, the municipality’s infrastructure and engineering portfolio head, had to resort to the courts to get his bail conditions relaxed to join a municipal delegation to China.
The delegation, led by mayor Mongameli Bobani, is in China on an investment drive to help lure new funders for innovative “smart city” projects.
Asked on Monday to confirm if he was part of the delegation to China Lungisa said: “I am around, I am in the metro.”
When asked why deputy mayor Thsonono Buyeye had said he was in China, Lungisa responded: “I have delegated to Buyeye to run things while I am away but I can see that he is not managing.”
But on Thursday, Lungisa admitted he was in fact in East Asia mainly to mend relations that he claims had been ruined by the DA with the Chinese.
“We are here to revive relations which were killed by the DA-led administration,” he said
“China is the biggest investor in our city.
“Nelson Mandela Bay cannot survive without China, the latest biggest investment in our city comes from China.”
He said a report would be tabled at the next council meeting on February 28.
On the mending of relations, Lungisa said: “The biggest agenda is to revive the relationship that was collapsed by the DA when they asked the question of Tapei instead of China.”
Lungisa was referring to questions raised by former speaker Jonathan Lawack at the December 4 council meeting around a 40 ton donation of rice from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.
At the time, Lungisa had denied the municipality accepted the donation of rice, claiming that whoever did had done so in their own capacity.
It was later established that Buyeye and mayoral committee member of economic development, Queenie Pink, had accepted the rice donation on behalf of the city.
China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province while the island argues it is a sovereign state.
Lungisa said he denied being in China as he thought The Herald was trying to trick him.
The Chinese visit, if a success, could see the city clinching deals for the roll-out of wireless broadband as well as new technology linked to the security field, such as surveillance and CCTV cameras.
Bobani, along with acting city manager Peter Neilson, Lungisa, and acting senior director of projects Tando Tsepane, are in China for three days, meeting with businesses and the local government.
But in order to get his passport for the trip, Lungisa had to apply to the court following his sentencing after hitting DA councillor Rano Kayser over the head with a water jug during a council brawl in October 2016.
He was sentenced to an effective two years’ imprisonment in April 2018.
Lungisa, who is out on R10,000 bail, has since appealed his conviction and sentencing which will be heard on March 13 in the Grahamstown High Court.
He had his bail conditions relaxed by magistrate Mornay Cannon on February 15 at the St Albans Magistrate’s Court.
Cannon ordered that the clerk of the court return his passport and that Lungisa no longer had to report to the Kabega Park police station.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki declined to reveal details of the trip including its cost.
“[This] will be reported by the mayor and the acting city manager through formal processes of council on their return,” he said.
“The mayor has also indicated that he will address members of the media about the trip when he is back. But most importantly, this first needs to be done through formal processes of council.”
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