State withdraws charges against UCT student

Mbasa Gqokoma

30 March 2016

The state has withdrawn all charges against a group of protesters who were involved in anti-university fees demonstrations in Cape Town last year.

Twenty-nine demonstrators, most of them students, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates Court this morning on various charges, including public violence.

They were arrested during protests outside Parliament late last year.

The group was arrested in October after clashing with police outside Parliament.

Among those in the dock were African National Congress stalwart Frank Chikane's son, Kgotso, and student activist leader Chumani Maxwele.

Bush Radio’s correspondent Simamkele Vakaza interviewed one of the accused, Khwezi Hoga.

Hoga says that “I’m happy I didn’t have to stand there and be asked questions”

She adds that “ I don’t know what this means, however it’s a victory to have the case withdrawn, but I also do feel like the system and the state have wasted my time for arresting me and doing all these dramatic things while fees have not fallen”.