Tshabangu had
filed the appeal against a High Court judgment that nullified his new
parliamentary appointments challenged by Ncube and his faction of the
opposition CCC party.
Tshabangu was
being represented by lawyers from Ncube Attorneys which has links to Welshman
Ncube.
Sources told
NewsDay that Tshabangu learnt of his lawyers’ withdrawal when the case was
about to proceed for hearing, resulting in him withdrawing his appeal on Monday
this week. He, however, filed another appeal on the same day after engaging the
services of Thompson James Mabhikwa and Partners.
In a statement
on Monday, Tshabangu’s spokesperson Nqobizitha Mlilo said the lawyers had
abandoned Tshabangu under “unusual circumstances”.
“Following the
renunciation of agency by the erstwhile legal practitioners of record of
Senator S Tshabangu and Senator N Mlotshwa under extraordinary, unusual and
unprecedented circumstances which will be explained in full in due course, T J
Mabhikwa and Partners were appointed as the new legal practitioners of record,”
Mlilo said.
“The legal
practitioners have since served and filed the appeal of the whole judgment and
order of His Lordship Wamambo J under Harare High Court case number 5606/2024,
handed down on 8 January 2025.”
He said some
respondents exerted considerable and unprecedented pressure on lawyers representing Tshabangu and Mlotshwa
to withdraw from the case.
“This was
obviously calculated to create a legal representation vacuum. Fortunately, a
number of legal minds immediately applied their minds and advised that the
temporary withdrawal of the matter was the most tactically prudent way to
address what nearly became a crisis. Everything is back on track now. The
appeal is now pending,” Mlilo said.
“It is
fortunate that Senator Tshabangu, Senator Mlotshwa and Mr Sithole don’t want to
play dirty as others are doing. They are interested in rational disputation. We
hope our colleagues will reconsider their actions.”
Ncube-led CCC
spokesperson Willias Madzimure said the party was confident it had a strong
case against Tshabangu.
He also
dismissed claims that Ncube had a hand in the withdrawal of Tshabangu’s former
lawyers.
“That is
desperation,”Madzimure said. “He still has to deal with his own lawyers and do
the actual process, they also have to renounce their services and also to find
new lawyers. Welshman Ncube has nothing to do with Tshabangu.
“He is
confident of the party's case which is very strong and we are not scared of the
resubmission of the appeal by Tshabangu and we don’t have a problem with
following the due court process.” Newsday
