Court Grants Alleged Unrest Instigator Bail, Bars Accused From All Social Media Activity

• One of the alleged instigators of the unrest in Gauteng in July has been released on bail
• The Vereeniging Magistrate's Court granted Themba Mnisi bail of R40 000 and ordered him to refrain from all social media activity
• Mnisi is accused of using WhatsApp for, among other things, mobilising for police officers to be disarmed and attacked in their homes

Themba Mnisi, one of the alleged masterminds of the scenes of public violence and looting that sent shockwaves across South Africa in July, has been released on bail by the Vereeniging Magistrate's Court.

Mnisi was granted R40 000 bail and ordered to refrain from all social media activity, including WhatsApp, where he allegedly mobilised for police officers to be disarmed and attacked in their homes.

In the accused's first appearance in court, the court heard that he allegedly called for police stations to be torched, per a News24 report.

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Briefly News understands Mnisi, who is the ANC organiser in the Sedibeng Region, was instructed to report to the nearest police station three times a week. Addressing the accused in court, Magistrate Ziphora Phage said:

"The applicant is ordered to close all social media accounts, including WhatsApp for the duration of the case. He is also ordered to refrain from participating in political and social activities until the matter is finalised."

eNCA, confirming Mnisi's successful bail application, reported that two more people, of whom one was arrested in Gauteng, have had charges of inciting violence through social media filed against them.

The suspected arrested in Gauteng is alleged to be behind the well-known Twitter account, 'Sphithiphithi Evaluator'.

Jaco van Heerden, Mnisi's lawyer, said after the court that his client was "in good spirits." He added that it should be understood that Mnisi was not banned from participating in political activity.

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"There were various issues that we had to deal with before his formal bail application. He is facing a schedule five offence. He remains innocent until proven guilty," said van Heerden.

"The magistrate gave a valid and proper judgment. He will abide by all his bail conditions. He is not barred from participating in political activities. He is barred from making political statements on social media platforms."

Alleged unrest instigator Ngizwe Mchunu avoided police on 5 occasions

In related news, Briefly News reported previously that Ngizwe Mchunu, one of the alleged instigators of the violent unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, reportedly managed to avoid the police on five separate occasions.

This is the claim that was presented to the Randburg Magistrate's Court during the former Ukhozi FM DJ's bail hearing last month.

Mchunu is said to have eventually handed himself over to law enforcement in Durban ahead of answering charges relating to inciting violence. The State was again bent on ensuring that Mchunu is remanded in custody due to his flight risk status.

The investigating officer in the case Captain John Ndzinisa said he was opposed to Mchunu's bail because he "has the means to secure funding from outside sources".

Source: Briefly News