More than 140 people arrested for public violence, malicious destruction of property and contravening the Disaster Management Act appeared in courts across Gauteng on Tuesday, 13 July.
Daily Maverick on Tuesday visited the Johannesburg Central Magistrates’ Court, where 111 of the 142 people appearing in Gauteng courts that day in connection with the spree of violence and looting that has racked Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal had their first court appearance.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a media release on Tuesday that, “Those who choose lawlessness to destroy our country and its people must expect to face the full force of the law. The rule of law, one of the basic tenets of our hard-fought democracy, must prevail.”
Inside Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court, where many alleged perpetrators of civil unrest stood for their first court appearance on Tuesday. A prosecutor (right) walks down the hall between appearances. (Photo: Julia Evans)
Most of those arrested came from Hillbrow and Jeppe police stations, with the others coming from Cleveland, Sandringham, Hillbrow, Yeoville, Booysens and Johannesburg Central SAPS stations.
The most common charge was public violence. Other charges included housebreaking with intent to commit an offence, theft, contravention of the Disaster Management Act, robbery…