Johannesburg - Operation Dudula leader Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini will spend the weekend in jail after he didn’t appear in court on Friday after his arrest.
Dlamini will be kept at the Johannesburg Central police station until his appearance at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Speaking to Independent Media, Dlamini’s legal representative, Advocate Ike Khumalo, confirmed that the State said it wanted to exercise its 48-hour rule and this led to Dlamini not appearing in court on Friday.
“They told us that they will bring Dlamini on Monday because they were still within the 48-hour rule. We are currently at Johannesburg Central police station; they are formally charging him. We tried to get a prosecutor who is on standby but apparently no prosecutor wants to put his hands on this matter,” Khumalo said.
Khumalo further said: “Initially the charges that were brought were (for) charges that one would get bail. He was charged with housebreaking, theft and malicious damage to property. It seems as if they might add charges over the intimidation.”
While Khumalo was with Dlamini and police were formally charging him, members of Operation Dudula came in numbers to the police station to support him.
Khumalo said it was malicious not charging Dlamini. He said this was politically motivated and they wanted to frustrate his client.
“Dlamini is in good spirits and he is positive. I am yet to speak to the investigating officer to see what can be done. The name of the game is to push and see how far we can go,” Khumalo said.
Dlamini was arrested on Thursday in connection with a housebreaking case which was opened by Victor Ramerafe, 59, of Dobsonville in Soweto.
Ramerafe’s house was allegedly ransacked by members of Operation Dudula, led by Dlamini, last Sunday after the movement accused Ramerafe’s home of being a drug den.
Ramerafe denied the allegations, and was accompanied by EFF members this week to register the case.
EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Tambo had said they were giving the police seven days to arrest Dlamini. Now that the arrest has taken place, Tambo said they wouldn’t comment because they wanted the law to take its course.
On Friday, members of Operation Dudula chanted revolutionary songs demanding that Dlamini be released. The members said they went to the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court because they believed he would appear but they expressed disappointment after learning that his bail hearing would be on Monday.
“Politicians want to disturb our movement because what we are doing here is for everyone. We are sick and tired of all these illegal immigrants in our country; we are suffocating,” said Sello Mahibille, the leader of the movement in Tshwane.
He said they were disappointed at the police and questioned why the police did not arrest Dlamini on the day of the raid.
Johannesburg District Commissioner Major-General Max Masha said there were proper procedures for citizens to provide police with information if they suspected someone was selling drugs.
Regarding the day of the incident, Masha said Operation Dudula had applied to hold a protest march, and it was the job of police to ensure there was no confrontation along the way. He said some members broke-off and went into Ramerafe’s house.
“Over 50 members of Operation Dudula have been arrested and convicted around Gauteng because we will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands,” Masha said.
Political Bureau