- A man named in Arthur Fraser's Phala Phala affidavit was supposed to go on trial on Monday, in an unrelated case.
- However, the court interpreter was not present.
- The case was postponed to later in March for a new trial date.
The long-awaited reckless driving and unlawful possession of firearms trial of a man named in the controversial Phala Phala robbery affidavit was postponed on Monday.
It was postponed because there was no court interpreter present.
Urbanus Shaumbwako was arrested between Dunoon and Table View in Cape Town on 18 October 2020.
His trial was due to start in the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday morning.
The magistrate, Vanya Botha, stood the matter down, as court officials investigated where the interpreters were, because all her cases that morning could not proceed due to them not being available.
Traffic officers involved in the car chase, in which Shaumbwako was arrested, lined the corridor outside as witnesses.
However, the matter was eventually postponed to 23 March because the interpreter was "on voicemail".
Shaumbwako faces charges of reckless driving after he failed to stop for a traffic check and for having a bag of illegal guns in his car.
He was named in an affidavit by the former spy chief and prisons boss, Arthur Fraser, which revealed that President Cyril Ramaphosa was robbed of a substantial amount of cash, which had been stored at his game farm, Phala Phala, on 9 February 2020.
Fraser alleged that Imanuwela David, Errki Shikongo, Petrus Muhekeni, Shaumbwako and Petrus Afrikaner were the perpetrators of the heist.
The matter in the Cape Town Regional Court has not been linked to the Phala Phala robbery, but Shaumbwako's attorney, Leon Heckrath, said his client had been visited in prison by Hawks officers.
His client was asked to confirm details contained in the affidavit, without having his lawyer present.
Heckrath alleged that his client's cellphone was also tracked before his arrest.
The appearance later in March is expected to be for the purpose of setting a new trial date.
Meanwhile, outside the court, the National Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) sang outside the nearby home affairs department office, where workers were on strike.
Nehawu's acting regional secretary, Temba Gubula, told News24 court interpreters had also participated in the strike due to a salary increase dispute.