Student leaders vow not to rest until arrested DUT student is released
Lawyers for arrested DUT student activist, Bonginkosi Khanyile, are claiming that the state is keeping him in prison - as punishment.
This was the argument by Khanyile's advocate, Thembeka Ngcukaitobi, in the Pietermaritzburg High Court yesterday.
Khanyile's appeal to overturn a court verdict to not grant him bail got underway on Tuesday, but the matter was adjourned to tomorrow for judgement.
Khanyile - who was arrested in September during fees protests at the Durban University of Technology - is being accused of being in possession of a weapon, contravention of the Explosives Act, and obstruction of traffic - amongst other charges.
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Ngcukaitobi argued that the state's case against Khanyile was groundless.
However, the prosecution's Kenvil Singh said that Khanyile was responsible for his own actions, and should be punished accordingly for his various transgressions.
Scores of Fees Must Fall activists and members of the EFF student leadership gathered outside the court in support of Khanyile.
Activist Gazuzu Nduli says they will not rest until Khanyile is released.
"We'll be very angry. And as you know, we are emotional human beings who ought to express our emotions in the manner that we feel, so what I can say is what I can say is if Bonginkosi doesn't come out - we will be heartbroken, some of us will be traumatised; I don't think that we'll be able to recover," he said.