Floyd Shivambu cleared of assaulting photographer

The Cape Town magistrate's court on Wednesday cleared EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu of a charge of common assault after his successful application for the court not to prosecute him at the close of the state’s case.

Magistrate Lindiwe Gura rejected the complainant’s and witnesses’ evidence as contradictory.

She added that one of the witnesses had even tailored his evidence to suit the state’s case.

Shivambu was charged with common assault after an incident at the parliamentary precinct on March 20 2018. 

Media24 photographer Adrian de Kock told the court that he took pictures of Shivambu after he alighted from a black SUV.

De Kock alleged that Shivambu told him he did not have permission to take his pictures and demanded that he delete them.

De Kock refused. He claimed Shivambu and two unidentified men attacked him.

After a protracted trial, the defence applied for discharge and the court granted it.

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