Cape Town - Western Cape Provincial Legislature member, Andile Lili, has been convicted on two counts which include incitement to murder and illegal gathering.
The case has dragged on for over seven years and was finally concluded by the Bellville Magistrate’s Court.
Lili, a member of Ses’khona at the time, was addressing a crowd outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court where he had appeared with eight others and found guilty of contravening the Civil Aviation Act after dumping human faeces at the Cape Town International Airport.
He uttered these words: “Sometimes [criminals] are arrested but the justice system releases them. So the only thing we can do is to kill [them] immediately if we find a criminal.
"We must kill them, comrades. We are liberating ourselves from criminals. Police are trying, but the justice system is failing us."
Lili was then charged for inciting violence and for the illegal gathering outside the court.
According to NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila, State advocate Peter Damon, who has prosecuted the case since 2014, confirmed that Lili was convicted for attending an illegal gathering outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on August 12, 2014; attending an illegal gathering outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on July 28, 2015; inciting members of Ses’khona People’s Movement to murder outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on July 28, 2015; and common assault in that he threatened complainants with sending his ants to shoot them.
Following the conviction, Damon said: “Justice has finally prevailed. The prosecution is satisfied with the verdict and message that all persons within the Republic of South Africa, are subject to the rule of law.”
Speaking to the Weekend Argus, Lili said he would not appeal against the conviction.
“There is no need to appeal,” he said. “I uttered those words out of frustration. A woman was killed and dumped into a drain. I know the frustration families go through when they are failed by the justice system. The suspects went on to be convicted on the case I was speaking about.”
He added that the case was not so serious and he is not worried.
“This is not a corruption case, I do not deny saying those words. I was frustrated.”
The case has been postponed until August 12 for pre-sentence reports and sentencing.