Khoisan Man Arrested for 'Growing Cannabis' at Union Buildings Feels Violated

• King Khoisan SA is unhappy with the treatment he received at the hands of the police, whom he claims invaded his privacy
• It comes after officers moved in on his small settlement of tents near the statue of Nelson Mandela at the Union Buildings
• Khoisan and his group started the silent protest in 2018 and want the government to identify their language, among other demands

TSHWANE - Police on Wednesday arrested a man for growing cannabis at the seat of government – the Union Buildings in Tshwane.

The man, known only as King Khoisan SA, has spoken out over his detention and lambasted the South African Police Service (SAPS) for invading his privacy. He and several others have been perching themselves on the lawns near the statue of Nelson Mandela since 2018.

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SABC News reported that Khoisan and Donovan Manuel, who was also arrested by police, appeared briefly in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Thursday. Briefly News understands the two men form part and parcel of a small group that has lived in tents on the lawn at the monument.

They want the government to recognise their language and identify them as South Africa's first nation. Speaking on his arrest and subsequent release on a warning, Khoisan maintained his privacy was disregarded.

No search warrant served

He has been staging a sit-in protest at the seat of the government and believes his arrest is a scheme to extract him from the national key point, according to News24.

"The treatment I got from the police was nothing short of violation. They misled us about having a search warrant and made their way to where I sleep with their dogs. They rummaged through the campsite from one end to the other," said Khoisan.

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More than a dozen officers were part of the operation to arrest Khoisan and Manuel, with the charges against them including illegally cultivating dagga on public property and the failure to wear a mask at the behest of a law enforcement officer.

Truck carrying R3 million worth of cannabis intercepted

Elsewhere, Briefly News reported that police intercepted a truck and arrested two people who were transporting R3 million worth of cannabis in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The 1.5 tons of dagga was confiscated after the police received a tip-off, according to SAPS spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala, who stated the large vehicle was stopped shortly after it was spotted.

It was then searched and police found 33 bales of dry cannabis weighing over 1 500 kg. The two suspects appeared in the Louwsburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 25 August.

Source: Briefly News