Theo Martins Jackson and Willem Oosthuizen who were arrested for allegedly assaulting Victor Rethabile Mlotshwa and charged with kidnapping and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm were denied bail at the Middleburg Magistrate's Court in Mpumalanga on Thursday.
Magistrate Jongilizwe Dumehleli delivered judgement in the bail application, saying the assault was triggered by brutal racism and it would not be in the interest of justice for them to be released on bail.
Ahead of the delivery of the judgement there was a hive of activity outside the court.
A group comprising of members of the African National Congress (ANC), ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) sang and danced outside the court on Thursday.
They repeatedly ran towards the opposite ends of Beyers Naude Street, singing songs and praising Mlotshwa. Dozens of people gathered to watch.
The situation was tense outside the court premises, with several members of the police’s Tactical Response Team (TRT) guarding the entrance to the court building.
The accused were already in court C, which was packed to capacity long before formal proceedings began and dozens of other people stood at the two doors of court C after they were denied entry due to a lack of space.
– African News Agency (ANA)
