- Two community leaders and a Diepsloot resident will spend two days in custody before the magistrate court hears their bail applications.
- The three appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
- Outside and inside the court, their supporters chanted slogans calling for their release.
Crowds of people filled the entrance of the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning to support Diepsloot leaders who were arrested during a protest last week Thursday.
The case against the men was postponed to Wednesday.
Lefa Nkala, Loyiso Toyiya and Jack Hlongwane returned to court on Monday.
They are charged with intimidation, public violence, malicious damage to property and infringement of the Traffic Act.
The State said there were allegations that people were intimidated and assaulted.
Last week, residents destroyed and torched stalls owned by hawkers in Diepsloot. They barricaded roads with burning objects and complained about the lack of police visibility and the high murder rate in the area.
Residents, church leaders, and supporters of the ANC, EFF, ActionSA and Operation Dudula were among the crowd gathered outside court on Monday morning.
READ | Diepsloot hawker laments losing money amid ongoing protests
Singing and dancing to struggle songs, the crowd held banners and boards that read “Free our leaders” and “We want to see Ramaphosa”.
The crowds raised their voices, clapped and danced while shouting out the names of the arrested leaders.
Community member Anna Rampyapedi said they were demonstrating outside court because they want their leaders released.
“Today, we want our leaders released. They should be released. They have no fault. (The government and police) don’t deal with the foreigners that kill us.”
She added that demonstrations would continue if the arrested leaders didn’t get bail.
Rampyapedi said:
If they don’t get bail, we are going to continue protesting. (The police) must prepare cells where they’ll house all of us.
Reverend and Diepsloot community leader Thokwane Dithuge called for President Cyril Ramaphosa to address residents in the area.
“He’s our president. He can even come to the toilet. Wherever we want him, he must come … (The people have) the right to protest. We are not in an apartheid state, and the police must know,” said Dithuge.
Case postponed
Some members of the crowd burst into song inside the courtroom, forcing the police to call them to order.
Nkala, Toyiya and Hlongwane later emerged from the cells under heavy police presence.
Prosecutor Tebogo Sello asked for a postponement because the trio face a Schedule 5 offence, and their 7 000 people, 70 bucket toilets: Diepkloof hostel residents demand more than promises after protest details needed to be established.
“We ask for a postponement to verify their addresses, profiles and other personal details. They were arrested on 29 June on the streets of Diepsloot.
Sello said:
The investigating officer [is required] to profile the accused. Their cellphones have been seized. I have about 20 statements on the docket that I need to go through. Police officers have to investigate the damaged infrastructure and its value.
Hlongwane’s lawyer, Emmanuel Seete, opposed the postponement claiming that his client could bring proof of address through a municipal letter.
“Bail can be granted today. I oppose postponement. Should it be rolled over, it should be for bail. They are innocent, as they have told me. There is no reason why they should be detained,” Sello said.
Magistrate Nospihiwo Gcawu told the accused they could bring a bail application.
Gcawu asked Sello if their arrests were related to the protests in Diepsloot.
“Can’t their addresses be verified today? Were there people injured?” asked Gcawu.
“People were intimidated, and there are complaints of assaults,” Sello replied to a loud uproar in the gallery.
The case was postponed until 5 June.