Hamstrung Mcebo can’t protest in KZN

EFF members were disappointed upon hearing their #FeesMustFall hero Mcebo Dlamini was prevented from boarding a plane to Durban to protest with them when their member, who has spent more than two months in jail, appeared in court yesterday.

Dlamini was supposed to arrive in Durban on Monday evening to protest for the release of Bonginkosi Khanyile, a Durban University of Technology (DUT) student and EFF activist.

EFF chairperson at the DUT, Gazuzu Nduli, who was in contact with Dlamini, said police had told him at OR Tambo International Airport that his bail conditions did not allow him to leave Gauteng.

Dlamini, the former SRC president at Wits University, was granted R2 000 bail last month after spending 37 days in prison for leading student protests for free education.

Although he is an ANC and Sasco (SA Students Congress) member, Dlamini had vowed on Monday that he would be protesting with EFF members to demand Khanyile’s release.

“He informed us last night (Monday) that police had prevented him from boarding the plane,” said Nduli.

Khanyile made a brief appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court yesterday where he was again denied bail.

Attempts to contact Dlamini were unsuccessful as his phone went unanswered yesterday and he did not respond to text messages.

On Monday, Dlamini told The Star that he supported Khanyile even though they belong to rival political parties. This was because they were both fighting for a common course, namely free quality education.

EFF youth packed Court A when magistrate Jackie Jonck told Khanyile that “your bail is still denied”, after she had postponed the case to January 19.

Khanyile has been languishing in prison since he was arrested and charged with committing public violence, possession of explosives and assaulting police officers in September.

Khanyile is also facing another charge of trespassing in connection with the protest. This case too was postponed to January 19.

Khanyile’s mother Phumzile Khathini, who was in court, later told journalists that she fully supported her son because she understood his struggle.

“My son is fighting for the nation, and the future generation will benefit from his struggle,” she said.

EFF Student Command secretary-general Phiwaba Madokwe said the struggle for free education would intensify as early as the beginning of the year.

She called on the government to stop prosecuting students for fighting for their rights.

“How can a student who has never killed and never raped end up spending two months in jail for actually reminding the ANC that you promised us free education?

“We are here to make sure they are delivering on those promises, and instead of delivering they are shooting us and arresting us,” said Madokwe.