More Than 500 People Appear in Various Courts in West Rand: #CivilUnrest
- Various suspects have appeared before a number of courts in the West Rand area for allegedly being part of the violence and looting in the area
- Over 682 people have so far been arrested and they are aged between 18 years old and 72 years old, according to NPA Spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane
- Mjonondwane listed all the charges that are being faced by the 500 people appearing before the courts on
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Over 500 suspects appeared before a number of courts in the West Rand district for allegedly civil unrest in the Soweto, this was revealed by the Gauteng National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on Monday, 19 July.
The above 500 people will bring the total number of those facing prosecution to a massive 682. The suspects are between the ages of 18 and 72. NPA Spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane stated that there are various charges being faced:
- Public violence;
- theft;
- malicious injury to property;
- contravention of the Disaster Management Act;
- and housebreaking with the intent to commit a robber and offence.
Source: Getty Images
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The NPA stated that most of the remanded suspects were remanded in custody awaiting the hearing of their bail applications which will start from this week and move to 21 August. Mjonondwane stated that the bail was fixed for about 20 suspects after each case was carefully considered.
Mjonondwane added that the bail amounts varied between R1 000 and R5 000 each, according to News24.
SABC News reported that Bruce Nimmerhoudt Patriotic Alliance Mayoral Candidate in the West Rand Municipality was one of many accused and appeared for a short while in court on charges of inciting violence.
Nimmerhoudt allegedly asked people to loot through a voice note that was circulating on WhatsApp. His case was postponed to 26 July for a bail hearing.
A team of investigators are probing the violence in Phoenix, north of Durban
Previously, Briefly News reported that members of the community in Phoenix, north of Durban, have been protecting their families after the civil unrest gripped areas in both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. It was alleged that looters were shot by residents who were standing by barricades at almost every intersection in the area.
A South African Police Service team of top detectives have now been assigned to investigate the deaths of 20 people who were killed in Phoenix during the violence that took place last week.
Police Minister Bheki Cele stated that a has been created. The team comprises of 10 detectives who will focus their investigation on the alleged involvement of local SAPS and private security companies in the civil unrest. Cele reiterated that residents do have the right to protect themselves within the law.
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Source: Briefly News
