The Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed a High Court application in Gqeberha seeking orders that Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Babalwa Lobishe and former acting city manager Ted Pillay be held personally liable for alleged unlawful expenditure tied to the leasing of a R25 million municipal transformer.

Both outlets report that the DA’s case focuses on costs arising from the controversial lease arrangement with a private company. The application asks the court to determine whether the officials’ roles exposed them to personal responsibility for the financial impact of the deal.

While coverage is broadly aligned on the parties and the purpose of the court bid, the outlets differ slightly in emphasis. Daily Maverick frames the matter as a request for “accountability” for the transformer lease, while News24 describes the action as the DA hauling both individuals to court over the R25m transaction. Neither outlet provides the court’s view or any ruling at this stage, indicating the matter is at the application stage.