Court sends k-word racist Kessie Nair for mental evaluation

The Verulam Magistrate's Court on Tuesday ordered that Kessie Nair‚ accused of calling President Cyril Ramaphosa the k-word‚ be sent for a mental evaluation at Fort Napier Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.

Magistrate Ncumisa Gcolotela said the state's evidence - a recommendation by a district surgeon and the testimony of Nair's brother - was enough to rule in favour of its application for Nair to be sent for the inpatient assessment.

The district surgeon had found that while there were no signs of mental illness‚ Nair was delusional.

Following the ruling‚ the state had intended to adjourn the matter to book a bed at Fort Napier for Nair. However‚ his defence attorney Chris Gounden indicated that Nair would formally apply for bail.

The matter stood down on Tuesday morning for Gounden to prepare an affidavit for the bail application.

On Monday Gounden had argued that should the court rule in favour of a mental assessment‚ Nair would have to spend months in prison before a bed was available at Fort Napier.

Gounden said Nair was willing to pay for a private mental assessment with his own medical aid should he be granted bail‚ although he maintained that he was of sound mind.

Nair - who served six years in prison for corruption and claims to have once been a member of the notorious 26s prison gang - has been charged with seven counts of crimen injuria and two counts of incitement for his widely circulated racist rant on video and social media posts.

In the video he calls for Ramaphosa to be charged for “defrauding this nation‚ for oppressing this nation‚ for high treason‚ for being the source [of] all crime and violence and poor healthcare and poverty in this so-called true democracy.”

In a written post‚ Nair says: “Let me go down in history‚ becoming the first and last man to called [sic] the number one citizen‚ the state president” the k-word.

“Achieved my goal‚ now I’m ready to die‚ for my intended message is public knowledge‚” he added. “Tuma Mena [sic] [to] Westville Prison.”