Celebrations were held outside the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on 6 October as charges against 82 Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), six Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) and two Democratic Alliance (DA) members were dropped. They were part of the 101 party members allegedly involved in unrest in Alexandra in May, following the 2014 general elections (see previous article).
Seventy-one people were facing charges of public violence, and 30 were facing assault and malicious damage to property. Now only 11 EFF members still face charges of public violence. They will appear at the court again on 20 October. The rest are free to go home. “The State gave no reason [why the charges were dropped],” said the group’s legal representative, Norman Montjane. “But they decided from the video footage who they want to charge and who not.”
EFF Gauteng spokesperson Mandisa Mashego said that it was not a complete victory, and the State was incompetent. “They [the State] have charges but no charge sheet,” she said. “It smacks of incompetence. They are either abusing their power or are incompetent. They have no evidence so they are going to cook evidence. They are also wasting public funds [by pursuing the case]. We should charge them with public incompetence.”
One acquitted EFF member said that he feels “vindicated but not happy”. An acquitted DA member said, “We should sue the State for wasting our time.” Ntobeng Ntobeng of the EFF Gauteng leadership was irritated. “The State showed today that it doesn’t have a case,” he said. “I said it before, other people were arrested while they were just standing. The last 11 will be acquitted.”
Details: Randburg Magistrates’ Court 011 998 5300.
