
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Mongezi Thwala and four other party members are spending the night behind bars after they appeared in court in connection with last week’s violent attacks and assault at the offices of the City of Umhlathuze in Richards Bay.
Thwala and his fellow comrades surrendered themselves to the police accompanied by their lawyer after the city pressed charges against them with the police.
They appeared in court on Monday (January 27) on charges of contravening the gatherings act, assault and damage to municipal infrastructure.
Thwala and his accused allegedly assaulted and strangled a security guard who tried to prevent the marauding EFF supporters from storming the municipal offices.
The prosecuting team indicated that it was not opposed to the accused being granted bail. The magistrate stood down the matter and said he will proceed on Tuesday (28 January 2025), leaving Thwala and others having to spend a night behind bars.
The provincial secretary of the EFF in the province, Nkululeo Ngubane said they were shocked by the decision of the magistrate to suddenly adjourn the matter when bail was not being opposed.
“What the magistrate did is unheard (of), the state was not opposing the bail. So, the matter should have proceeded and our members freed as they cooperated with the police,” Ngubane said.
Ngubane told the media after the case that they would be out in full force for Tuesday’s appearance and shut down uMhlathuze again.
The municipality said it would follow up on this case because it wanted those who damaged its offices held accountable.