News24 | Steep bail for Gauteng men accused in violent G20 protests

Two men arrested during violent protests outside the G20 Leaders’ Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in November were granted R10 000 bail each by the Booysens Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

• Two men arrested during the violent G20 Summit protests at Nasrec were granted bail of R10 000 each.
• Steven Mkhize and Bush Sipho Mahlangu face charges of public violence and assault against police officers during the international leaders’ summit.
• Both accused told the court they were breadwinners with multiple children and claimed they could only afford R1 000 bail.

Two men arrested during violent protests outside the G20 Leaders’ Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in November were granted R10 000 bail each by the Booysens Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Steven Mkhize, 54, and Bush Sipho Mahlangu, 47, appeared in court on charges of public violence and two counts of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm against Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers during the international summit.

“Bail is not to deny freedom. But this is a serious offence. That’s why I’m going to put that amount [of R10 000],” said Magistrate Collen Matshitse, who acknowledged the men would struggle to come up with the bail amount.

They were arrested following violent clashes outside the Nasrec Expo Centre when members of Operation Dudula and the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party confronted police officers during the G20 Leaders’ Summit in late November.

READ | Protesters arrested outside G20 summit as Operation Dudula, MK Party clash with police

The protesters demanded to move closer to the main summit venue but were allocated a protest site more than a kilometre away.

Around 30 or more Operation Dudula members attended the proceedings, including its leader, Zandile Dubula.

Mkhize and Mahlangu were visibly taken aback at the amount imposed by the magistrate.

Both accused requested bail of R1 000 as they each earned only R9 000 and were breadwinners with multiple children to feed.

Mkhize has three children, while Mahlangu has six, whom he is raising as a single parent.

Lousa Makananisa, the attorney for both accused, had submitted to the court that the maximum bail they could afford was R1 000, saying they had been absent from work for the seven days since their arrest.

She told the court the amount was reasonable, considering neither accused had a prior criminal history.

READ | G20 Summit: Natjoints confident in security readiness, despite looming protests

While the state did not oppose bail, it requested a higher amount of R5 000, despite stating that the accused were not flight risks, with their addresses having been verified.

The state also requested an additional bail condition – that both men appear at their nearest police station once a month.

However, Matshitse opted to set a much higher amount attached to a single condition – that both accused forfeit their passports.

“I normally joke and say if an accused can afford a private attorney, they can afford bail,” Matshitse said.

He also warned the accused that if they were arrested for another offence, their bail would be revoked, even if bail was granted for that new offence.

The matter has been postponed to 24 February next year, with the state indicating that additional medical reports, video footage, and witness statements remained outstanding.