Pretoria News - Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was left shocked and appalled after a 26-strong group of Black First, Land First members stormed her offices in Hillcrest, Pretoria, and allegedly held some of her staff hostage.
Among the 26 arrested were the movement's national convener, Andile Mngxitama, national co-ordinator Yerushka Chetty, spokeswoman Lindsay Maasdorp and secretary for political education Ncedisa Mpemnyama.
They all appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, where they were charged with intimidation, common assault and trespassing. They were remanded until next Wednesday, when they are expected to apply for bail.
Magistrate E van Biljon postponed the matter to next Wednesday to confirm the addresses of the accused and investigate if any of them had previous convictions.
According to a statement released by the public prosecutor's office on Tuesday, the “bunch of rascals” demanded to see Madonsela.
At the time, Madonsela was attending a Mandela Day event in Joburg.
The group demanded to see Madonsela “about her refusal to act on and investigate cases of corruption against white capitalists like Johann Rupert”.
“The public protector believes that such an illegal, violent act, which allegedly included intimidation of staff and taking at least four of them hostage, should be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all those committed to constitutional democracy and the rule of law,” the statement said.
“The unruly group are not complainants in the matter provided as a basis for their actions but have recently started enquiring about an investigation lodged by advocate Paul Hoffman of the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa.
Hoffman, as the complainant, is kept abreast of developments in the investigation at regular intervals.
“Furthermore, Madonsela said the investigation could not look into any apartheid crime of theft or any other as that would fall outside the jurisdiction of the public protector.
“This is because the public protector was only established in democratic South Africa, in October 1995, and has no powers to investigate what is alleged to have happened prior to its existence.”
The group demanded that Madonsela investigate ”R26 billion allegedly stolen by white capitalists from the public”.
They also want the public protector to address the “complaint of state capture by white capitalists, including that of Johann Rupert, lodged with her office in March this year”.
Pretoria News