South Africa: NMB Deputy Mayor Gary Van Niekerk Comes Out Swinging After Court Appearance

8 October 2025
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Riaan Marais

Once again painting himself as a martyr, Gary van Niekerk claimed to be the tip of the spear against corruption in Nelson Mandela Bay while suggesting that other politicians, including former mayor Retief Odendaal, were crooked.

Once again painting himself as a martyr, Gary van Niekerk claimed to be the tip of the spear against corruption in Nelson Mandela Bay while suggesting that other politicians, including former mayor Retief Odendaal, were crooked.

In stark contrast to the quiet manner in which Nelson Mandela Bay deputy mayor Gary van Niekerk left court on Monday, he came out swinging on Wednesday, pointing fingers and laying blame at the feet of other politicians for the charges he faces.

He specifically targeted former mayor and current DA mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal, calling him "the most corrupt politician in the metro".

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The deputy mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay made a brief appearance before the Gqeberha Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday, where his matter was postponed until 3 November for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to decide how to proceed with the matter.

This comes after Van Niekerk's legal team submitted representations to the DPP, which could impact the charges against him.

'Whistleblower'

"I've always been very comfortable that I've never done anything wrong. I've been a whistleblower from the word go, if you look at where this whole thing started," Van Niekerk said, addressing the media outside court.

He...

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