SANDF member, others remanded in custody for public violence

The suspects were arrested following violence in Phalaborwa town when protesters using tree branches, burning tyres and rocks blocked key roads last Friday.

PRETORIA, April 16 (ANA) – The Namakgale magistrate’s court in Limpopo has remanded in custody seven people including a member of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) who were arrested for public violence.

The SANDF’s Tshepo Malungani, aged 53, appeared in court on Thursday alongside his co-accused Ngwako Monyela who is 30, Katlego Malatji, 29, Maredzi Malatji aged 34, Lebogang Shokane aged 28, Khali Malatji aged 32 and 48-year-old Joe Masilo Mashale.

“They were remanded in custody and their case was postponed to the 20 April 2021 for bail application and further police investigations,” Limpopo police spokesman Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said in a statement.

The suspects were arrested following violence in Phalaborwa town when protesters using tree branches, burning tyres and rocks blocked key roads last Friday.

Ngoepe said the violent protests by community members disrupted day-to-day activities in affected areas, with children unable to go to school while commuters could not travel to work and shops were forced to stay closed.

The first people to be arrested over the violence were Peter Malatji, aged 50, and 35-year-old Mavis Malatji, who were picked up on Monday and appeared in court on Wednesday.

Mavis Malatji collapsed in court soon after being remanded in custody and had to be rushed to hospital where she was admitted under police guard. Both will again appear in the same court on 20 April.

Limpopo provincial commissioner of police Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba has commended his charges for cracking down on the violence.

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa