EFF Phoenix

Former Economic Freedom Fighter Jackie Shandu appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Phoenix LATEST: Jackie Shandu in court for ‘hate speech’

The Former Economic Freedom Fighter is facing charges under the Riotous Assemblies Act for his enraged speech after the Phoenix killings.

EFF Phoenix

Former Economic Freedom Fighter Jackie Shandu appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Former Economic Freedom Fighter Jackie Shandu has appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court to face a charge of incitement to violence after he became enraged by the recent Phoenix killings. 

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said Shandu, 37, had appeared in court on Tuesday for allegedly contravening the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1956, on two counts of incitement to commit public violence.

This comes after a video of Shandu shouting “One settler, one bullet, one Indian, one Bullet” during a public address on the steps of the Durban City Hall went viral on social media  on Thursday. Shandu, who is convenor of the Justice for Phoenix Massacre Victims said he had uttered the hate speech in a “fit of rage” after spending time with the traumatised families of victims who had been killed in Phoenix during the recent unrest. A total of 36 people were killed in the suburb as armed residents blockaded roads to protect their community from looters. 

Shandu swiftly retracted his remarks in a second video in which he described them as ‘problematic remarks’.

“During our march I made some problematic remarks which with the benefit of hindsight now should not have been said. I said ‘one settler one bullet, one Indian one bullet’. I want to withdraw those remarks because I do not condone violence and I see the potential they have to inflame already existing racial tensions. I just want it to be on record that I am saying that having reflected, having sobered up, of course one was deeply enraged in that moment, one was feeling he hurt and the pain and the trauma, certain things came out, but we are anti-racist in our outlook,” Shandu said.

“We do not condone racism in any way so I just want to put it out there that I retract those remarks,” he said.

The matter was postponed to 06 August 2021 for bail consideration.