Johannesburg - Student activist Mcebo Dlamini is expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, facing charges of violating a court order, public violence, assault, theft, and damage to property.
The charges against the University of the Witwatersrand student emanate from fees protests in 2016.
On September 7, the case was again postponed after the court heard that Dlamini had engaged a new lawyer, Khathutshelo Mathibe -- a development Prosecutor Steven Rubin said he had not been informed of. Mathibe, who told the court that he would be representing Dlamini, said he had already been instructed.
He said he was ready to proceed and was up to date on the matter. Mathibe said he was only waiting for the State to give him “their evidence” against Dlamini.
Rubin said the State’s evidence consisted of video footage. He told the court that the “footage had been copied and needed to be viewed”. This meant the matter could not proceed.
On August 29, the case against Dlamini was postponed after his legal representative fell ill. His legal representative, Thabo Kwinana, said via text message that due to unforeseen circumstances he was not able to make it to court.
Dlamini was arrested in October 2016, and was released on R2,000 bail in November by the Palm Ridge High Court.
Students protested across South Africa in October 2016, for free tertiary education.