Atlegang Moeketsi and eight others, including his wife Jabulile Moeketsi, briefly appeared before Magistrate Reagan Rosenberg on charges of robbery.

The State alleges that they assaulted three truck drivers, took the truck keys from them and used the truck to block streets in Brits on April 29. On one instance they used a hammer, axe and iron rod to threaten the driver before they forcefully took keys from him.

Meanwhile, charges of public violence were withdrawn against 42 people arrested in connection with this protest.

Jeff Moyo, for the accused, asked the court to release his clients on warning, stating that the State cannot prove that they committed the offence.

He told the court that Moeketsi, who was driving a minibus taxi, was employed at a local mine, and he was on his way to work together with his wife and other colleagues, when taxis were stopped in Brits due to a protests, while other people got out of the taxi some other people got in fearing the situation outside.

"When the police searched the minibus taxi they found truck keys, [an] axe, [a] hammer and an iron rod, which Moyo said could have been left by people getting in and out of the minibus taxi," Moyo said.

Moyo argued that the accused were known in their community and the community had filled the court in support of their bail application and it would be easy to verify their addresses. He stressed that if the State was concerned about the legitimacy of their addresses, the accused relatives were in court and could submit affidavits confirming the addresses.

African News Agency (ANA)