Durban – Bonginkosi Khanyile, possibly the only Fees Must Fall student still behind bars since protests ended last year, will spend another month in jail after a court postponement on Thursday.
Khanyile appeared in the Durban Regional Court for a pre-trial conference, but had his matter postponed to February 28, because lawyers were still gathering statements.
He faces charges including public violence, illegal gathering, trespassing, and inciting violence.
Khanyile had a loyal support base since his arrest on September 27 last year. Thursday was no different. The court gallery was packed with anxious supporters and several police officers.
Supporters made their way to the court house early in the morning, singing struggle songs and calling for his release.
When the postponement was announced, his supporters were visibly disappointed. Khanyile appeared to be in good spirits. He wore a Fidel Castro T-shirt and blue jeans.
EFF leader Julius Malema previously voiced his disdain at Khanyile’s arrest and continued detention. He said the EFF-affiliated student was the only Fees Must Fall protester still behind bars because KwaZulu-Natal “smells of Zuma”.
He sympathised with the Khanyiles, who had spent both Christmas and New Year without their son.
“We are with you. We have assembled the most powerful legal brains in our country to release him from prison, but we all know that in KwaZulu-Natal it is very difficult.
“I don’t want to be arrested in KwaZulu-Natal. I would rather be arrested anywhere else in the country, not in KwaZulu-Natal because everything here smells of Zuma. Everything here smells of corruption and we must reject that. We don’t want a biased judicial system.”
In December, the High Court in Pietermaritzburg rejected his bid to appeal the Durban Magistrate Court’s decision to deny him bail twice.
