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Mthwakazi activist appears in court over school protest
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A Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) activist, Mkhulile Jele, appeared at the Plumtree Magistrates Court on Thursday facing a disorderly conduct charge after protesting at a local school over the alleged ill-treatment of students.
Jele (34), who serves as the MRP youth chairperson, was granted US$50 bail by Magistrate Aelene Munamati. The case has been remanded to March 11 for trial.
The activist allegedly stormed into the headmaster's office at Phakamani High School on February 3, protesting against the harassment of students. However, through his lawyer, Thuto Mavula, Jele denied the charge, arguing that he was merely questioning why students were being interrogated by police officers and school authorities without parental consent.
Jele stated that he was initially invited to the school on January 28 by a Heritage Studies teacher to discuss a student's case involving the recording of a lesson using a mobile phone.
"When I went to Phakamani, we discussed the issue with the senior teacher, deputy head, and Heritage teacher, but we did not reach a resolution on the matter," Jele explained.
On February 3, Jele said he returned to the school to follow up on the issue and to collect the phone at the center of the controversy.
"I saw the headmaster walking with students, and I followed, intending to talk to him about the incident. When I reached his office, there were two officers present. One of them, identified as James Moses, told me to leave as they had business to take care of," he said.
Jele added that he questioned why students were being detained without their parents' consent.
"When I asked, the headmaster failed to respond, so I called my lawyer and asked the headmaster to take the call, but he refused. After that, I left the school premises," he said.
Jele later claimed that one of the students informed him that the police had knocked him against the wall during interrogation and warned him to refrain from engaging in political activism.
Jele (34), who serves as the MRP youth chairperson, was granted US$50 bail by Magistrate Aelene Munamati. The case has been remanded to March 11 for trial.
The activist allegedly stormed into the headmaster's office at Phakamani High School on February 3, protesting against the harassment of students. However, through his lawyer, Thuto Mavula, Jele denied the charge, arguing that he was merely questioning why students were being interrogated by police officers and school authorities without parental consent.
Jele stated that he was initially invited to the school on January 28 by a Heritage Studies teacher to discuss a student's case involving the recording of a lesson using a mobile phone.
"When I went to Phakamani, we discussed the issue with the senior teacher, deputy head, and Heritage teacher, but we did not reach a resolution on the matter," Jele explained.
On February 3, Jele said he returned to the school to follow up on the issue and to collect the phone at the center of the controversy.
"I saw the headmaster walking with students, and I followed, intending to talk to him about the incident. When I reached his office, there were two officers present. One of them, identified as James Moses, told me to leave as they had business to take care of," he said.
Jele added that he questioned why students were being detained without their parents' consent.
"When I asked, the headmaster failed to respond, so I called my lawyer and asked the headmaster to take the call, but he refused. After that, I left the school premises," he said.
Jele later claimed that one of the students informed him that the police had knocked him against the wall during interrogation and warned him to refrain from engaging in political activism.
Source - newsday
