‘We will fight on’‚ student leaders threaten after Mcebo Dlamini fails to get bail

19 October 2016 - 16:07 By Julia Madibogo

Fees Must Fall student leaders have declared war following former Wits SRC president Mcebo Dlamini's failure to obtain bail at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. Dlamini‚ who is facing various charges including theft‚ being in possession of dangerous weapons‚ damage to property and assaulting a police officer‚ will remain in police custody until November 15.Wits EFF student leader Vuyani Pambo told students outside court that the denial of bail for Dlamini marked the start of an intense protest."Today they are testing us. I want to say one thing and one thing only‚ that we must not retreat and we must not surrender. The best thing we can do for those who arrested and for those that are coming after us is to make sure that Wits university feels the wrath that we have‚" Pambo said to loud cheers.Hundreds of students and workers from Wits came to support Dlamini. They stood outside court singing and chanting struggle songs."Comrades we must not continue as usual when our brothers and sisters are kept in jail. We must make sure that Adam Habib knows that he has committed a crime against us. We must make sure that the government of Jacob Zuma knows that they have committed a crime against us‚" Pambo added.The student leader said they will render Johannesburg city ungovernable."The time of hiding the truth is gone.. We are demanding our right‚ we are demanding education.. We must go back to the Catholic church and regroup and reorganise. We must increase these numbers. We must tell everyone and close these streets. Make sure we are in large numbers. We must occupy Johannesburg‚" he said.Former Wits SRC president Shaeera Kalla said Dlamini's court case was politically motivated."When young people get immune to the smell of teargas‚ the pain of rubber bullets and the threat of arrest then you know you are living in an abnormal society. We know that the law works for the powerful‚" Kalla said.She added: "This is a political case and it’s a great injustice to social justice issue to student activists‚ but mostly it's an injustice to the next generation‚" Kalla said.Earlier on Dlamini told reporters that student protesters must continue protesting."They must not despair. They are fighting for a genuine cause and the struggle must continue‚" Dlamini said.He is due back in court on November 15...

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