Prosecute fake pastors instead‚ says FeesMustFall Mcebo Dlamini

#FeesMustFall activist Mcebo Dlamini
#FeesMustFall activist Mcebo Dlamini
Image: Felix Dlangamandla/Foto24/Gallo Images

#FeesMustFall activist Mcebo Dlamini says the state is wasting resources prosecuting him and instead should focus on dealing with fake prophets who are alleged rapists.

"They don't have a case against me. They are abusing state machinery. Instead of prosecuting fake pastors and prophets‚ who are molesting women left right and centre‚ they are using state machinery and state resources to prosecute and push a political vendetta‚” he said.

"But because I am an activist I understand we are fighting a system. And when you are fighting a system‚ it reacts and this is a system reacting."

He said every time he attended court‚ the state applied delaying tactics.

"The delaying tactics they have used today is that the magistrate [Carlo Labuschagne] is not in a position to commence with a trial when they knew he is acting [in the post]. The magistrate knew his term of office is elapsing next month‚ but he set a trial date‚" Dlamini said.

"I'm not intimidated and deterred. Actually I gather strength every time they do this.

"The support we are receiving from young people and other formations‚ like the bikers‚ says we are touching nerves‚ we are touching lives and that’s what keeps us going. I am very strong‚ strong as a buffalo bull."

Prosecutor Steven Rubin said the state intended to call 15 witnesses when the three-day trial starts on April 9 next year.

Dlamini‚ a law student‚ faces a string of charges‚ which include theft‚ assault‚ public violence and malicious damage to property‚ linked to student protests from October 2016.

In August‚ he wrote a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and walked from the University of the Witwatersrand’s Braamfontein campus to the Union Buildings in Pretoria‚ where he handed it to Ramaphosa’s office. In the letter‚ he urged Ramaphosa to exercise his prerogative powers and grant amnesty and pardon all Fees Must Fall activists.

Dlamini said after his walk to the Union Buildings his legal team had proposed possible remedies and one of those was mediation.

"The prosecution does not give us reasons as to why they won't go into mediation‚" he said.

Asked about his ambitions to become president of in the ANC Youth League‚ Dlamini said if he was asked to serve young people‚ he would oblige.

"Ambitions? I don't have ambitions‚ but I am ready to be sent by young people should they feel that I possess everything they need. I will say yes without any hesitation to restore the dignity of a black child. We are ready to complete the struggle of self determination … "

He dismissed claims that the league is dead.

"The organisation is still strong. We need new dynamism‚ new minds to revive the league."

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