Vocal MK Party backer Visvin Reddy’s case over his alleged incitement to cause violence was postponed on Wednesday and transferred from the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court to the Durban Regional Court.
Presiding Magistrate Naresh Bhika said Reddy would appear before the Durban court on June 14.
Reddy, the deputy national elections co-ordinator for the uMkhonto weSizwe (Mk) Party, was charged with incitement to commit public violence following his speech at an MK Party rally in Shallcross last month.
He warned in the video clip that "this country will be turned into civil war the day MK is not allowed to campaign and to be on the ballot paper" for the May 29 elections. The clip went viral over the internet on social media sites like TikTok.
Once the official court proceedings were done, Reddy and other MK Party members from the gallery made their way outside, where a crowd of supporters welcomed him.
He told supporters the charges against him were a result of taking the fight to the ANC.
“They say that I have been inciting violence. This is, of course, what they are saying and their charge against me. Having said that, I need to make the point that there is no attempt that is going to stop us; that will stop this tsunami from taking over South Africa.
“The tsunami of MK is taking over this country in an amazing way and this is why the ANC is running scared. Ramaphosa and his cowards in the ANC, they know their days are numbered because the only party that will replace and remove the ANC from government is Umkhonto weSizwe Party led and supported by President Jacob Zuma,” Reddy said.
On Monday, Reddy told the POST he had addressed the rally as the president of African Democratic Change and his intention was not to incite violence.
He claimed that at the time of the rally, he was explaining and only "cautioned" that if the MK Party was removed from the ballot paper, there would be repercussions.
Reddy said he posted an apology on social media to make the context of what he had said clear.
"This is the work of mischievous people, who made others believe that I was inciting violence. They created the impression that I was stirring up looting, riots and violence by only publishing part of what I said. I am not an instigator of violence..."
Reddy’s attorney, Manoj Haripersad, told the POST that Reddy would plead not guilty to the charges - contravention of the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1956.
The Post