Former MK Party Youth Leader Bonginkosi Khanyile Arrested, SA Reacts: “Hawks Don’t Really Have Work”

• The Hawks have arrested former uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party youth leader Bonginkosi Khanyile
• Khanyile was arrested for allegedly threatening to disrupt the May national and provincial elections
• South Africans expressed strong opinions about the arrest, with many celebrating the development
• The KwaZulu-Natal Hawks told Briefly News that Khanyile had allegedly incited citizens to loot

JOHANNESBURG — The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) has arrested former uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party Youth League leader Bonginkosi Khanyile.

The 34-year-old faces conspiracy to commit public violence and contravention of the Riotous Assemblies Act charges.

Ex-MK Party youth leader Bonginkosi Khanyile arrested

According to TimesLIVE, these were related to alleged threats he made in March to disrupt the May national and provincial elections.

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Khanyile had said the elections would not go ahead without the MK Party following the Independent Electoral Commission's (IEC) then-intention to bar its leader, former President Jacob Zuma, from vying for a National Assembly seat.

The IEC's decision was spurred on by Zuma's 2021 conviction for contempt of court. Khanyile said:

"[Should] they remove MK and Zuma, South Africa will not have elections."

Khanyile, accused of inciting the July 2021 unrest, was arrested by the Hawks' KwaZulu-Natal Crimes Against the State unit on Friday.

In his March call, Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said Khanyile had allegedly implored citizens to embark on a looting campaign.

Mogale told Briefly News that the public announcement contravened the Riotous Assemblies Act.

"It's essence was to instigate South Africans to protest and commit acts of violence all over the country," Mogale said.

Khanyile will return to court for the cases after being released on bail on 23 September.

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Locals indifferent to Khanyile arrest

On social media, South Africans had a mouthful to say, mostly directing harsh sentiments at the controversial figure.

Others, to the contrary, disagreed with the charges against him. Briefly News looks at a few reactions.

@hlubizer wrote:

"To think, [the] 2021 insurrection instigators are still walking free. Many people are still unemployed."

@AHT_YssY said:

"Someone is really politicising this Hawks thing."

@BillySebako added:

"[The] Hawks don't really have work."

@bigkoostar reacted:

"This guy is not my favourite, but what is incitement to violence in saying, "There would be no elections without MK and Zuma being the face of MK"? The abuse of state institutions by politicians MUST STOP."

@Gowjas offered:

"What happened to the guys who were arrested for the same case after posting on social media."

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Source: Briefly News