Gcobani Ndzongana NOT GUILTY
- Land Party SA
- Jul 24, 2020
- 2 min read
Mr. Gcobani Ndzongana, Chief Leader of the Land Party, was found not guilty of the multiple charges laid against him by Overstrand Municipality law enforcement in 2018 in the Stellenbosch magistrates court today.
In his judgement, the magistrate said that the state’s witnesses and evidence were weak and that the state had wasted the court's time. The court was able to see right through the engineering by the state and was able to deliver justice after an unnecessarily long and protracted trial and discharged Mr. Ndzongana without him even taking the stand.
Mr. Ndzongana was arrested on July 11th, 2018 after members of the community removed a fence that the Overstrand Municipality erected around a piece of land just days after protests about land across the Overstrand had finally stopped. He was accused of damaging property and inciting violence.
His arrest catalysed what many residents of Hermanus say was 2 weeks of “hell”. The community was prevented from marching to the police station to demand that they are arrested and not Mr. Ndzongana. SAPS used teargas and rubber bullets to stop the community reaching the R43, the community threw stones and the ‘war’ between the police and the community went on for 14 solid days.
Mr. Ndzongana was incarcerated in Polsmoor prison for 3 months and labelled a “thug” and a “terrorist” by the media and the greater Hermanus community after being called such by the then Premier of the Western Cape, Ms. Helen Zille.
LAND Party is relieved that justice has finally been served and hopes that the state learns not to try and use its power and underhanded strategies to remove community leaders when they are frustrated by citizens who stand up for their constitutional rights. The state must remember that this is a democracy.
LAND Party also hopes that the media learn from this incident too. The media has a responsibility towards the community they serve as much as public servants and should be putting people before profit instead of latching on to political rhetoric to sell newspapers.
LAND Party salutes those in the justice system who vigilantly protect the constitution and the people of South Africa.
END
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