Johannesburg – Jackie Shandu whose bid to be granted bail was denied by the Durban Magistrate Court on Tuesday faces another uphill battle as more civic organizations have joined the call for him to be kept inside prison, saying he was a danger to society.
Shandu is a leader of the campaign under the banner #JusticeForPhoenixMassacreVictims finds himself in hot water after last week he led a march to the Durban’s City Hall calling for justice to be served for the black lives who perished when they were shot and killed in the Phoenix area during the countrywide violent looting.
In a video that went viral on social media, Shandu, is seen shouting the slogan: “One settler, one bullet. One Indian, one bullet” to the marchers who repeated after him.
Following public and political pressure from the Democratic Alliance, groups representing minority rights and the KwaZulu-Natal government, Shandu was forced to fall on his sword taking to Twitter, acknowledging that the remarks might have been inflammatory.
IMPORTANT
Fellow South Afrikans
Retraction of the inflammatory remarks I made yesterday outside @eThekwiniM. I believe in AntiRacism.#JusticeForPhoenixMassacreVictims pic.twitter.com/eX7I2gbvNw
— Jackie Shandu (@1OusmaneSembene) July 30, 2021
The SA Hindu Maha Sabha, Action SA, and the African Democratic Change subsequently pressed criminal changes demanding that Shandu be prosecuted for his ‘reckless’ talks amid the racial tensions in the province.
During his appearance on Tuesday, it emerged in court that his bail application cannot be processed until his correct names were verified including his residential address.
The court was told that besides being known as Jackie Shandu, the accused was also referred to as Madoda Gift Radebe and that the adjournment would allow for the impasse to be clarified through the Department of Home Affairs.
Natasha Ramkisson – Kara, NPA spokesperson said, “He appeared for Contravention of the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1956, on two counts of incitement to commit public violence.”
Shandu was remanded in custody and will be back in court on Friday for a formal bail application.
Meanwhile, Phezukonke Mthethwa, speaking on behalf of #JusticeForPhoenixMassacreVictims said Shandu was being unfairly prosecuted.
“Our view is that this is another strategy used by those with power and money who are assisted by the government of the day to silence and downplay the racial motivated killings of innocent people in Phoenix. It is another story of a black child in South Africa,” said Mthethwa.
My brother, Duduzani Zuma, is equally deeply affected by the massacre. We jointly visited families of deceased and surviving victims. #JusticeForPhoenixMassacreVictims pic.twitter.com/dUdK1jTPXW
— Jackie Shandu (@1OusmaneSembene) August 1, 2021
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