Johannesburg - Six students arrested outside Parliament in
Cape Town during an anti-university fees protest would have possible treason
charges deferred while the matter was investigated, their lawyer said on
Thursday.
Bruce Hendricks, a lawyer for the six arrested during
Wednesday's university fees protest at the Parliament precinct, told
broadcaster eNCA the treason charges had been deferred for further
investigation.
"We attended the Bellville office of the Hawks and
there they [the students] were charged with trespassing, one of the charges, as
well as the Illegal Gatherings Act, where they said the guys weren't supposed
to access the National Keypoints Act, Parliament, and then a final charge of treason,"
he told the broadcaster.
"We just had a meeting with a senior prosecutor at Cape
Town and he advised us that he instructed the members of the Hawks to defer the
investigation with regard to the treason charges in order for them to make an
informed decision about that charge."
Constitutional right
The students were shocked at first upon hearing of the
treason charge, with Hendricks saying the only message they wanted to get
across was they were exercising their constitutional rights in protesting
against university fees.
"That's basically the message they want to get out
there and they were arrested for treason which under normal circumstances you
would think is to overthrow the government," he said.
"That's their basic understanding of it."
He said the matter had been postponed to Friday, with the
six unaware when they would exactly appear in court.
"We were advised by the prosecution that they will only
appear tomorrow [Friday] due to the fact that they have to do investigations
surrounding this trespassing charge," Hendricks said.
"However, we [took] instructions from our clients to
approach the High Court for urgent application for their release as we want
them out as soon as possible."
Treason rumours untrue
Meanwhile, the Hawks strongly contradicted reports the six
were to be charged with treason.
Spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi in a statement said
contrary to allegations circulating regarding the six being charged with
treason "following the mayhem at Parliament on Wednesday", the Hawks
and police sought to set the record straight and "dispel such malicious
rumours".
"During the illegal protest which saw students forcing
their way into the Parliament premises, six students were arrested and were
detained at Cape Town police station," he said.
"They will appear before the Cape Town Magistrate’s
Court on Thursday, facing charges of trespassing and contravening the
Gatherings Act."
Mulaudzi urged media houses, journalists and all media
practitioners to find out the exact charges and get facts before publishing, or
posting on their personal social media accounts.
"Irresponsible reporting and speculations have the
potential of fuelling unnecessary violence," he said.
