Edited by Bev Mortimer: Following their severe public violence acts at a street march against foreigners in the Eastern Cape town of Jeffreys Bay in South Africa, 69 arrested people appeared in the Humansdorp regional court yesterday, 20 July .
The SAPS were in full force outside the court and inside the court where the 69 accused men were squashed into the court. This led to interested members of the members of the public being prevented from attending the proceedings.
The men were arrested on charges of public violence and trespassing, related to Schedule 1 and Schedule 5 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
Some protesters went on a wild rampage, looting Spaza shops (informal shops run by foreigners) or chasing the owners out of the premises, or other acts of violence in public, including some members of the ordinary public watching the march process, who were verbally threatened by some knife- carrying individuals. Foreigners who were attacked had to take refuge in a church for a whole night.
According to Court reporter, Anthony Augustus, “owing to the large amount of accused they could not all fit in the dock and some were seated in the gallery and others had to stand during court proceedings attend the proceedings. Only accredited media were allowed inside.”
According to the State prosecutor nine of the accused had committed criminal acts and were told this would affect their bail applications. But they were not released and were told they could apply for bail in court.
The magistrate ordered the release of the other 60 accused men. They were to be released on warnings: on condition they do not start or they must not be involved with any “unlawful protests, or toyi-toyi, until the current matter has been finalised.”
The case was postponed to 23 October.
St Francis Chronicle 