Pretoria – Some members of the anti-foreigner group, Operation Dudula, were outside the Johannesburg central police station on Monday morning where their leader Nhlanhla ‘Lux’ Dlamini was detained.
Police vehicles transporting Dlamini to the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court were seen leaving the station as the Operation Dudula movement continued to call for their leader’s immediate release.
Numerous police officers, including members of the public order policing unit, were stationed at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court ahead of Dlamini’s appearance.
The activist’s lawyer, Ike Khumalo, told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the charges are frivolous and laughable.
“Housebreaking and theft, malicious damage to property ... he could have been released on a warning at the police station. The manner how he was arrested, he was arrested like a hardcore convict. So many (police) cars, some at the robots. We feel that it was heavy-handed,” said Khumalo.
“These charges are laughable because you can go interview the communities, and they will tell you that the guy is a drug dealer. People drop drugs there. They smoke drugs there.
Khumalo said the charges against Dlamini are “political”. He said there was a team of attorneys and advocates helping Dlamini “because they do understand what he stands for”.
Dlamini, known as Nhlanhla Lux, was arrested after a case was opened at the Dobsonville police station, in Soweto, on Wednesday. The complainant, Victor Ramerafe, was supported in opening the case by the Economic Freedom (EFF), by virtue of his membership with the party led by Julius Malema.
Ramerafe’s house was allegedly ransacked by members of Operation Dudula, led by Dlamini after the movement accused Ramerafe’s home of being a drug den.
Ramerafe was accompanied by EFF members on Tuesday to register the case.
EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said they were giving the police seven days to arrest Dlamini.
Dlamini's case at the Roodepoort Magistrate's Court on Friday was postponed until Monday for a bail hearing.
Operation Dudula members were also at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
“Politicians want to disturb our movement because what we are doing here is for everyone.
“We are sick and tired of all these illegal immigrants in our country. We are suffocating,” said Sello Mahibille, the leader of the movement in Tshwane.
He said they were disappointed at the police and questioned why the police did not arrest Dlamini on the day of the raid.
Tambo said the EFF would not comment because it wanted the law to take its course.
IOL