The embattled mayor of Musina, Cllr Godfrey Nkhanedzeni Mawela, is smiling again, and with reason. His assault case, involving a Muswodi-Dipeni resident, was withdrawn by the Mutale Magistrate's Court on 25 July before the case could even be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a decision, after the complainant apparently decided to drop the charge.
Mawela was charged with assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm after he had allegedly assaulted and injured Carries Munzhelele (25) with his fists and a beer bottle during a drinking spree at a local tavern in Muswodi-Dipeni village in the early hours of Saturday, 26 February this year. Both Mawela and Munzhelele are residents of Muswodi-Dipeni village, outside Musina.
Mawela first appeared in the Mutale Magistrate's Court on 28 February and his case was postponed many times for further police investigations. He was supposed to appear in court again on 29 July, but on 25 July, Munzhelele informed the state advocate that he did not want to continue with the case.
Munzhelele told the media that he had made the decision to withdraw the case as he believed in a peaceful settlement with the mayor, and because they both reside in the same village.
"I realised that my case was being used to settle political differences in the Vhembe region, and I did not want my name involved anymore. I had been in hiding since my fight with the mayor started in February, as I was terrorised by the mayor's friends. It had been really hard."
Munzhelele said that he had finally returned to his home in Muswodi-Dipeni, and that, after he had withdrawn the charge, he no longer had enemies in the village.
When the media contacted Mawela, he only confirmed that the case had been withdrawn but would not provide any more comments.
The spokesperson for the ANC in the Vhembe region, Ms Gumani Mukwevho, said she would first have to gather more information on the Step Aside-rule to determine what happened to someone whose case had been withdrawn.