Student leader Dlamini might flee to Swaziland, court hears

18 October 2016

Johannesburg – The State is opposing bail for former Wits University SRC president and #FeesMustFall leader Mcebo Dlamini, saying he might flee to Swaziland.

Dlamini was making his second appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Steven Rubin told Magistrate Albertus Roux that Dlamini was born in Swaziland and only relocated to South Africa in 2009. He, however, said he needed to verify this with the Department of Home Affairs.

In his affidavit, Dlamini said it would be political suicide to go against the court. He admitted that he was born in Swaziland, but said he relocated to Mpumalanga when he was 10 years old, and later moved to Soweto with his mother.

Dlamini added that he could only afford R1 500 for bail. He told the court that he had two children, a 1-year-old and a 4-month-old baby.

Rubin read out an affidavit by the police which cautioned Roux against granting Dlamini bail.

Request to write test

Police said they had footage of Dlamini inciting violence and urging students to prevent others from attending class. The police also claim that Dlamini assaulted a female officer during student protests.

Dlamini denied this, saying that as a student leader he did not condone violence.

On Monday, during his first appearance, Dlamini urged the court to grant him bail or allow police to accompany him to write a test.

Rubin, however, said that Wits University had denied that any tests or assignments were scheduled.

Dlamini said he had never assaulted anyone, but instead had been on the receiving end of police brutality.

"I was held down by three or four black police officers. I managed to escape – bleeding on my mouth. I did not assault anybody, I am innocent [and] intend to attend all court cases," he said.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.