Nelson Mandela Bay's deputy mayor, Gary van Niekerk, facing fraud charges, has launched an online series called 'The Truth' on Facebook to present his side of the story. The posts mimic local newspaper styles and detail his anti-corruption efforts. Critics, including media and opposition politicians, question the approach and its implications.
Gary van Niekerk, deputy mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, has taken to Facebook to publish a series of articles titled 'The Truth,' outlining his version of events leading to his 2022 fraud charges. The charges involve cyberfraud and violations of the Municipal Finance Management Act, stemming from unauthorized legal bills exceeding R570,000. Van Niekerk denies wrongdoing, asserting the legal actions were part of his campaign against corruption, particularly regarding the March 2022 appointment of Noxolo Nqwazi as city manager.
After a squabble with his party, the Northern Alliance, Van Niekerk was removed as councillor and speaker but reinstated by court order. Last month, he submitted representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions hoping to withdraw the charges, but the court rejected them, scheduling a trial for May 2026. On Monday, following a court appearance in Gqeberha, he vowed to 'reveal the truth' and posted a fake news image styled like The Herald newspaper, which he accuses of mocking him.
Tuesday saw the first full article, 'The Truth of the Case of Deputy Executive Mayor Gary van Niekerk,' followed by two more, with promises of additional posts. 'It is important for the truth to come out. The media has not been covering my version of events, so I decided to do my own reporting and to tell the people the real story,' Van Niekerk said. One post calls for a forensic investigation into the municipality's Legal Services Department, claiming he instructed acting city manager Lonwabo Ngoqo to launch it; Ngoqo was unreachable for comment.
The posts imitate The Herald's posters, prompting a response from Arena Holdings' Bongani Siqoko: 'This is an unfortunate attempt to use The Herald’s style and design, seemingly in an attempt to confuse the general public.' Van Niekerk was recently convicted of contempt of court and fined R2,000 for missing a hearing, citing an urgent trip to Germany for investment opportunities.
Opposition DA councillor Morne Steyn criticized Van Niekerk for not reporting alleged corruption to law enforcement and noted a blocked council motion on his future, now referred to MEC Zolile Williams by speaker Eugene Johnson. The council awaits Williams' decision on action following the contempt conviction.