Prominent Zimbabwean opposition leader Job Sikhala appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Monday alongside his co-accused, his uncle Alexander Ferrowst Thema. The two face charges of illegal possession of explosives.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the pair were arrested on Friday night after police allegedly found explosives in their vehicle while driving along Kgosi Mampuru Street in Pretoria. Officers reportedly discovered 26 units of blasting cartridges and 15 connector cap fuses during the search.

NPA Pretoria spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana confirmed that Sikhala, aged 53, and Thema, aged 78, were both remanded in custody. “The matter was postponed to 13 November 2025 for a formal bail application,” she said.

Mahanjana added that the NPA will conduct a full profile check on Sikhala following reports that he has been arrested more than 60 times in Zimbabwe. “This assessment will assist the state in deciding whether to oppose his bail application,” she said.

Sikhala, a veteran politician and former Member of Parliament for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has long been one of Zimbabwe’s most vocal opposition figures. His frequent arrests in his home country have drawn widespread international attention.

The Pretoria court heard that the explosives were found during a routine police stop. Both accused were taken into custody on the scene and have been detained at a Pretoria police holding facility since then.

Security around the court was visibly tight on Monday morning, with plainclothes officers monitoring activity outside the building. The case has attracted significant attention from both South African and Zimbabwean observers, with some opposition supporters alleging that Sikhala’s arrest is politically motivated.

A press release from the NPA confirmed that both accused appeared in court briefly and that investigations are ongoing. “The two are facing charges of possession of explosives and are remanded in custody,” the statement said.

South Africans and Zimbabweans took to social media platform X to react to the development. One user wrote: “Job Sikhala remains behind bars as he was remanded to custody until Wednesday after he appeared in court in Pretoria today. Hope the SAPS will do their investigation properly coz we all know it’s a setup to silence him. ZanuPF you did this.”

Sikhala and Thema are expected to return to the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Thursday for their formal bail hearing.