JOHANNESBURG - Former Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda is a free man, for now.
Fraud charges against him have been provisionally withdrawn.
Gwamanda appeared briefly at the Protea magistrate's court on Tuesday.
The state failed to secure a trial-ready certificate, meaning the case cannot proceed at this stage.
The former mayor was accused of defrauding Soweto residents through a funeral policy scam.
It was allegedly run by his company, iThemba Lama Afrika, since 2011.
The state says he convinced people to pay monthly premiums for funeral insurance that never materialised.
However, Gwamanda has maintained his innocence insisting the charges were politically motivated.