Fees Must Fall activist can’t joint protest

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

Dlamini was supposed to arrive in Durban on Monday night to protest against the imprisonment of Bonginkosi Khanyile, a Durban University of Technology student and EFF activist.

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

Dlamini, a former SRC leader at Wits University, was granted R2 000 bail last month after spending 37 days in prison in connection with leading student protests for free education. Although he is an ANC and Sasco member, Dlamini had vowed on Monday that he would be protesting with EFF members to demand Khanyile’s release.

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

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

Attempts to contact Dlamini were unsuccessful yesterday.

On Monday he told The Mercury that he supported Khanyile although they belonged to rival political parties.

EFF youths packed Court A when magistrate Jackie Jonck told Khanyile his bail was still denied, after she had postponed the case to January 19. Khanyile has been languishing in prison since he was arrested.