'We stand by Andile Lungisa' former Robben Island political prisoner

Former Robben Island political prisoner and one time African National Congress (ANC) Nelson Mandela Bay Regional Chairperson, businessman Mike Xego, was one of the people, who received controversial ANC Councillor, Andile Lungisa, when he was released from the North-End Prison on Friday.

Lungisa's release comes after he  successfully brought an urgent bail application before the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court so that he could await the outcome of his appeal out of prison.

He has been released on a R10 000 bail after serving only 16 days of his two-year sentence.

Lungisa recently hired criminal defence attorney, Alwyn Griebenow, to help him appeal his conviction and sentence.

Last month convicted on a charge of assault with the intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), was sentenced to three years behind bars at the beginning of May. 

One year was suspended for five years, so he will serve an effective two-year jail term.

Lungisa faced charges of assaulting Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor, Rano Kayser, and allegedly smashed a glass jug filled with water over Kayser’s head during a brawl that broke out a Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality council meeting in October 2016.

"We have never entered a campaign without victory in our life," Mike Xego described while welcoming Lungisa.

Xego started his political career before Lungisa was born in 1974 and said that he first met Lungisa when he was still a toddler in his politics and saw potential in him.

“We produced a very talented young man, who has grown as a person and politically to a point where we were certain and very assured that we can rely on him,” he described.

Xego then said that he was the one, who had asked struggle veteran, Mkhuseli Jack, to be his character witness in court on the 9^th of May the day Lungisa was jailed.

He said that he pleaded with Jack that they are older than Lungisa, thus he needed his elders to stand by him.

Xego added that his political career was boosted because of the efforts of Lungisa and he just couldn’t sit back and do nothing when he heard that there was chance that he could be jailed.

“You put my name out there my friend and I thought that I should put your name up,” he described while talking to Lungisa.

To Lungisa’s enemies, Xego said: “We are victorious today and we stand by Andile” and to his parents, he said “your son has parents in Port Elizabeth, forget everything else and welcome him home”.

Xego concluded by appealing to local residents to welcome Lungisa back inn his community.

“Around your name Ace there is a Mike Xego.”