Two more alleged public violence instigators to appear in court

29 August 2021

PRETORIA– Hawks members from Crime Against the State working together with Crime Intelligence arrested a 35 and 36 year old suspects for incitement to commit public violence on Saturday 28 August 2021 in Gauteng and KZN respectively.

It is alleged that the KZN suspect, a 35-year-old man was involved in the incitement of public violence through social media and other platforms during the period of unrest in KwaZulu-Natal. As a result, Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg was broken into and criminal activities such as theft of goods occurred. During the incident, the mall was set alight by the suspects.

The search and arrest warrants were authorized and executed on yesterday.

He is expected to appear in the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 30 August 2021.

Meanwhile the Gauteng suspect, who is a 36 year old woman who operated as Sphithiphithi Evaluator @ African Soil with a followership of 59 900 people was arrested yesterday, during a search and seizure operation in Leondale which resulted in the confiscation of exhibits for further investigation.

The suspect is expected to appear in the Palm Ridge Magistrates court on Monday, 30 August 2021 on charges of incitement to commit public violence.

Investigations against those who incite, instigate or conspire with others to commit crime including public violence are continuing.

Statement issued by Col Katlego Mogale, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), 29 August 2021