Norma Gigaba’s trial postponed to September

Norma Gigaba, the wife of former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba, made her first appearance in the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court in Pretoria on Monday, where the matter was transferred to the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.

Gigaba is expected back in court on September 14 after her legal representatives advocate Dali Mpofu and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi requested a postponement in order to file a counter civil case.

She appeared before the Hatfield Magistrate’s Court on Monday facing charges of malicious damage to property and crimen injuria.

Norma was arrested by the Hawks on Friday for allegedly damaging a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon belonging to Malusi’s friend.

She subsequently spent the night in police cells but was granted R5,000 bail on Saturday.

READ MORE: Hawks investigating ‘threat’ on Malusi Gigaba’s life

The Sunday Times reported that, apart from allegedly damaging Gigaba’s friend’s car, the 40-year-old spent a night in jail because the Hawks wanted to clarify if there was a link to a previous death threat.

A source told the Sunday publication that a “threat” on Gigaba’s life had been uncovered in June, and when Norma allegedly attacked the car two weeks ago in what other sources said was a “jealous rage”, they used the opportunity to establish her involvement in the alleged conspiracy, if any.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzisaid there was “an element of threat to the former minister’s life in the nature of the offence”.

“We had to get involved and deal with it. We have done what we had to do. That case now will be referred to the SAPS detective for further investigation,” he said.

(Background reporting: News24 Wire)

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