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The former mayor of Dundee, Thandeka Nukani, will appear in court later this month for allegedly trying to have her nephew murdered in prison for turning state witness against her during her trial for the murder of a whistleblower in 2006.
Nukani, who was acquitted last year on charges of having ANC councillor Grishen Bujram murdered over a probe into the sale of RDP houses in the KwaZulu-Natal town, was arrested for trying to have Siyabonga Nukani killed in Waterval Prison.
Siyabonga, who is serving 20 years in jail for Bujram’s murder, was a state witness against Bongani Shangase, Nukani’s boyfriend, who was jailed for life for the murder of the veteran ANC activist and trade unionist.
Nukani, a former ANC regional executive committee member, was then charged for Bujram’s murder on the basis of his evidence.
Shortly thereafter, Nukani was arrested for a second time for allegedly trying to have Siyabonga poisoned in jail to stop him from giving evidence. Her driver, Peter Khumalo, was also arrested for the poison plot, but charges against the two were eventually withdrawn because a witness withdrew their evidence.
However, following several months of lobbying the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Bujram’s widow managed to convince prosecutors to open the case again, and Nukani was arrested early last month. She appeared in the Dundee Regional Court on January 20 on charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara confirmed that Nukani had been recharged with attempted murder and conspiracy over the poisoning attempt and would appear in court with Shangase.
She would not reveal the identity of the witness in the case.
Last August, Judge Isaac Nkosi withdrew the murder case against Nukani after a lengthy series of postponements, changes in venue, a change in judge and the disappearance of the key state witness – alleged hitman Mzamo Majola, who was released by the state before giving evidence.
Nukani, whose R100 000 bail was paid by then ANC regional chairperson Philani Mavundla, lost her mayoral seat over the scandal but has been redeployed as a personal assistant to Umzinyathi District Municipality mayor and another former ANC regional chairperson, Reverend James Mthethwa.
In his judgment on the second day of Nukani’s trial in the high court sitting in Madadeni, Nkosi said that the evidence from Majola would have been central to proving whether or not she had been involved in the plot to kill Bujram, as had been claimed by her nephew. Majola’s absence had caused the state’s case to fail, he said.
“The hitman unfortunately could not be found to explain if he was on the scene or not, and to why he had not alighted from the vehicle if he was in that vehicle.
“That is very crucial evidence and because of this paucity, the case for the state is weak and the state has not proved beyond reasonable doubt that you were involved in this killing,” Nkosi said.
