March and March Leaders Granted R1,000 Bail After Durban Protest Arrests; Supporters Gather Outside Court
Durban – Two leaders of the March and March Movement, Sphelele “MaGolide” Shinga and Malizo Dzanibe, were granted R1,000 bail each on Monday after appearing in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on charges linked to recent anti-immigration protests that turned violent in the city.
A third accused, Wandile Nsibande (also referred to as Nsimande or Nsibanda in some reports), a parolee, was denied bail and remanded in custody.
The men were arrested on Saturday outside the Home Affairs Durban Refugee Reception Centre amid a week of protests against illegal immigration and a recent Constitutional Court ruling on asylum seekers.
Police said the trio, allegedly affiliated with the March and March Movement, were involved in shutting down the centre and preventing foreign nationals from neighbouring African countries from entering.
Shinga faces charges of inciting public violence. He was also linked to alleged threats to “shut down” the MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Nsibande and Dzanibe face charges including public violence, contravening the Road Traffic Act, carrying a dangerous weapon, and failing to comply with police instructions. The state has also alleged that Shinga assaulted a police officer.
Senior public prosecutor Roshiela Benimadho opposed bail, citing the need to verify the accused’s addresses and previous criminal cases.
She noted that Nsibande is on parole (previously sentenced to 25 years for robbery, kidnapping and attempted murder, with a pending assault case) and that Shinga and Dzanibe have outstanding matters.
The magistrate adjourned Nsibande’s bail application while granting bail to the other two. timeslive.
In court, Shinga told the magistrate he has four children, works as an occupational nurse earning R15,000 per month, and that the bail would be paid by March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma.
Outside the court, supporters of the March and March Movement gathered in a lively demonstration, chanting, dancing and raising sticks and traditional items in celebration of the release of Shinga and Dzanibe.
Video footage from the scene shows a large crowd of men and women, many wearing movement-related clothing, gathered on the pavement near the court buildings under clear skies.
The protests last week in Durban’s CBD and surrounding areas involved violence, looting and the torching of vehicles and buildings. Police arrested at least 15 other suspects, mainly students, on related public violence and malicious damage to property charges.
March and March, a Durban-based civic movement founded by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, campaigns against undocumented immigration and has organised protests across South Africa.
The organisation rejects labels of xenophobia, stating its focus is on enforcing immigration laws.