NDWG says Sikhala case is political persecution

The National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) says it believes the ongoing case involving its leader, Job Sikhala, who was arrested in South Africa for alleged possession of explosives, amounts to political persecution.

NDWG deputy spokesperson Silenkosi Moyo said in an interview that the organisation views the repeated postponements of the matter as deliberate and politically motivated.

"As the NDWG Deputy Spokesperson, I believe our leader is politically persecuted. The postponement of the case is because they want to cripple him from planning and engaging in active politics, especially to challenge the CAB 3 drama," she said.

"We demand his immediate release."

Sikhala and his uncle, Alexander Ferrowst Thema, have had their case postponed to 3 August 2026. The pair were arrested in November 2025, accused of having explosives in their vehicle. Sikhala was a passenger in the car, which belongs to and was being driven by his uncle.

However, Sikhala's lawyers told the court that South African police handcuffed him at the scene despite him being a passenger, while the driver was not immediately restrained. They argue that this conduct suggests a targeted operation and points to political motivation.

The defence team further claimed that the explosives were planted in the vehicle by individuals allegedly linked to the Zimbabwean government, who had lured Sikhala to a meeting in Pretoria. During the meeting, one of the men reportedly left briefly with the car keys, and it is during that time that the explosives were allegedly placed in the vehicle.

Sikhala has been living in South Africa under court‑imposed restrictions since his arrest, including a ban on travelling to Zimbabwe until the case is finalised.

The South African state requested the postponement to August, saying investigations are still ongoing.