July unrest: Bonginkosi Khanyile due in court TODAY

Bonginkosi Khanyile’s trial for being one of the alleged instigators of the July 2021 unrest is set to begin on Friday.

The trial was postponed on Monday but is set to go ahead today

The trial was postponed earlier in the week for Khanyile to expand his legal team and consult with them. The defence stated that time was needed to review documents from the State.

Khanyile is expected to appear before the Durban Regional Court on 19 August. The former Fees Must Fall activist was among many who were arrested for allegedly instigating the violence during last year’s civil unrest.

What charges is Khanyile facing?

Not only is Khanyile facing charges of incitement to commit violence but also charges of contravening the Disaster Management Act, reports SABC News. At the time of the unrest, large gatherings were prohibited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Khanyile pleaded not guilty to both charges at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 15 August. He has also denied being an instigator of the July unrest.

The State said during Khanyile’s bail application that there was video footage of him addressing people in different areas. He was released on R5 000 bail in September following his arrest in August 2021.

July riots: Hawks arrest three more alleged instigators

Previously, it was reported that the Hawks arrested three more people in connection with the July unrest. This brings the total number of suspects handcuffed over the past few days to 25. Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said the suspects are due to make an appearance in court.

The Hawks say they expect to make more arrests in relation to the July riots, over the coming weeks. At least twenty people accused of instigating the violence were arrested and subsequently made an appearance in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 12 August 2022, where they were each granted R3000 bail.

The July riots started out as semi-violent demonstrations in KZN demanding former president Jacob Zuma’s release from prison, but soon morphed into looting sprees which saw thousands of people storm malls and other establishments and soon spread to Gauteng. Well over 330 people lost their lives in the violence. Read the full story here.