As a bail condition, the court warned the Operation Dudula leader to avoid all communication and contact with the complainant, Victor Ramerafe.
THE LEADER of the anti-foreigner group Operation Dudula, Nhlanhla “Lux” Mohlauli was on Monday released on R1,500 bail by the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court.
Several supporters were outside the court, and they were also at the Johannesburg central police station, where Mohlauli has been detained since last week.
As a bail condition, the court warned the Operation Dudula leader to avoid all communication and contact with the complainant, Victor Ramerafe. Mohlauli was also ordered to hand over his passport to the investigating officer and not change his address.
Numerous police officers, including members of the public order policing unit, were stationed at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court during Mohlauli’s appearance.
Earlier, the activist’s lawyer, Ike Khumalo, told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the charges are frivolous and laughable.
“Housebreaking and theft, malicious damage to property … he could have been released on a warning at the police station. The manner how he was arrested, he was arrested like a hardcore convict. So many (police) cars, some at the robots. We feel that it was heavy-handed,” said Khumalo.
“These charges are laughable because you can go interview the communities, and they will tell you that the guy is a drug dealer. People drop drugs there. They smoke drugs there.
Khumalo said the charges against Mohlauli are “political”. He said there was a team of attorneys and advocates helping him “because they do understand what he stands for”.
Mohlauli, known as Nhlanhla Lux, was arrested after a case was opened at the Dobsonville police station in Soweto on Wednesday. The complainant, Victor Ramerafe, was supported in opening the case by the EFF by virtue of his membership with the party led by Julius Malema.
Ramerafe’s house was allegedly ransacked by members of Operation Dudula, led by Mohlauli after the movement accused Ramerafe’s home of being a drug den.
Ramerafe was accompanied by EFF members on Tuesday to register the case.
EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Tambo said they were giving the police seven days to arrest Mohlauli.
Mohlauli’s case at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday was postponed until Monday for a bail hearing.
Operation Dudula members were also at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
“Politicians want to disturb our movement because what we are doing here is for everyone.
“We are sick and tired of all these illegal immigrants in our country. We are suffocating,” said Sello Mahibille, the leader of the movement in Tshwane.
He said they were disappointed at the police and questioned why the police did not arrest Mohlauli on the day of the raid.
Tambo said the EFF would not comment because it wanted the law to take its course.
