Johannesburg – A City of Johannesburg official accused of illegally selling state land in Lenasia appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, said the Gauteng human settlements department.

The case against Sifiso Handsome Litau was postponed to 3 October, said spokesperson Motsamai Motlhaolwa.

He was granted bail during an appearance in March.

Motlhaolwa said Litau was also expected to appear at an internal disciplinary hearing before the end of September.

Meanwhile, 60 witnesses began giving evidence against Richard Zikhali and Michael Magodola in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Tuesday.

They face 94 counts of fraud and money-laundering relating to the alleged illegal selling of state land in Lenasia and Ennerdale.

They allegedly conned people out of millions of rand before being arrested and charged in 2010, and have been in police custody since then.

In November 2012, the provincial housing department demolished about 50 houses, which it said were illegally built on government land.

The occupants had been given forged deeds of sale with the department’s logo.

– SAPA