Crowds swell at Jub Jub court

2010-03-18 10:16

Johannesburg - The gates to the Protea Magistrate's Court where hip hop artist Jub Jub was appearing, were briefly opened on Thursday morning to let through dozens of people trying to force their way in.

"This is like apartheid during the school riots when the police caused stampedes," Dulcie Chomey, 72, told Sapa outside the court house in Soweto, Johannesburg.

Members of the public were swearing at police officers and forcefully pushing against the gate that had been locked in an attempt to control the curious crowds.

The gates were opened briefly and people streamed in before officials closed the gates again, leaving many impatient members of the public still outside.

Few reporters allowed in

Meanwhile, inside the court building, court officials and the police struggled to control the number of people allowed into court room 6, where Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye and his friend, Themba Tshabalala, were due to apply for bail.

Journalists were asked to stand in a separate line outside the court room and only a handful of reporters - from Sapa, The Star, e.tv, SABC and the Sowetan - were allowed in while others were made to wait.

A certain number of people from each family involved in the case were also allowed in, including Jub Jub's father and aunt.

Outside, there was no sign of schoolchildren in uniform by 09:00. Only members of the public were gathering outside the building.

Earlier, a Sapa reporter was warned by a security guard not to park his car at the Magistrate's Court.

"You don't know what those children are going to do," the guard said.

Jub Jub and Tshabalala arrived at the court in a nyala and proceedings of the second day of their bail hearing were expected to start at 10:00.

Five arrested

Scores of police officers were ready to keep the peace outside the court after five schoolchildren were arrested for public violence on Wednesday.

Brandishing sticks, tree branches and ANC flags, pupils protested outside the building, vowing to "destroy" the two if they were granted bail.

The crowd promised to return armed on Thursday.

"If the police attack students, we will come ready, armed with bricks and stones and anything... we are not afraid of them," Congress of SA Students chairperson Kenneth Mbatha said.

The bail hearing was expected to be wrapped up by Thursday afternoon.

The State was opposing bail.

- SAPA