Mthatha — The Hawks in the Eastern Cape have arrested two suspects believed to have been involved in the disruptive taxi strikes that caused violence and unrest in Mthatha.
The Hawks arrested Mthuthuzeli Sogoni, 52, and Ncebo Nkosi, 47, and both men appeared in the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court on Friday morning. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Avele Fumba, the arrests stemmed from an incident on Monday, the first day of special voting, News24 reported.
They were charged with incitement to public violence, contravention of the Cyber Crimes Act and contravention of the Electoral Act and released on R3 000 bail each.
Sogoni, whose a member of a taxi association in the OR Tambo District, allegedly circulated a video on social media to incite violence and encourage people not to vote. Nkosi allegedly distributed a video on social media that also threatened violence and he vowee\d to disrupt the elections, this after Mthatha taxi industry members had their firearms confiscated.
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According to National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the pair are believed to be linked to the taxi violence in Mthatha, The Citizen reported.
“The 52-year-old Mthuthuzeli Sogoni is a member of a taxi association in the OR Tambo District and he was wanted in relation to a voice note he allegedly circulated, inciting violence and mobilising people not to vote,” Mathe revealed.
“The second accused – the 47-year-old Ncebo Nkosi – was nabbed following a video recording in which he called on taxi operators and owners to embark on a violent protest and disrupt the elections.” she added
Mathe emphasised that NatJoints has repeatedly warned social media users to refrain from posting and sharing inflammatory messages that could cause harm, mobilise communities to incite violence and engage in criminal acts.
“Members of the public are once again discouraged from sharing inflammatory messages that quite often redirect and divert police resources and personnel from attending to serious and violence-related crimes,” the police spokesperson concluded.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
