GEORGE NEWS - The crimen injuria and assault case against George DA Councillor Johan Stander was remanded for the second time on Tuesday 13 March, when Magistrate Götz Essel set the new date for Thursday 12 April in the George Magistrate's Court.
The case arose from an argument between Stander and ex-councillor Gert Niehaus about a parking place in the councillors' parking area at the municipality building in October 2016. Niehaus laid an assault case at the police.
At the time both Niehaus and Stander were members of the mayoral executive committee.
Subsequent to the incident, Niehaus has resigned from Council and Stander has been removed from the mayoral executive committee. On Tuesday, State Prosecutor Deshrie Padayachee informed the court that the state's witness, Dr Amor van Zyl, was still in the United States and that she will only be returning to South Africa at the end of March. Dr van Zyl is Niehaus's house doctor.
Padayachee wants the doctor's testimony to be heard in court. Niehaus testified that he suffered neck injuries during the incident. Stander denies all the charges against him. "This is why I am in court, to clear my name," he said.
Eckert Brand, Stander's attorney, told the George Herald he was disappointed that the trial did not proceed. "Constitutionally it is always an issue if you don't have a speedy trial. The Constitutional Court has on several occasions said that one is entitled to a speedy trial. This matter has been coming on since 2016."
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