Cape Town - The EFF has promised a long and tireless fight against the Brackenfell resident who was involved in the clash against some of its members during the protests against Brackenfell High School last year.
The case against Brackenfell resident Jaco Pretorius was postponed in the Kuilsriver Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, until February 19.
Pretorious was arrested on November 9, the day the EFF protested near the school, for discharging his firearm in public. He was initially charged with attempted murder but the charge was changed to discharging a firearm in public.
Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalla said: “The case against Jaco Pretorius has been postponed to February 19, 2021, for further investigation. Pretorius was arrested last year for discharging his firearm in a public place.”
EFF Western Cape Deputy Chairperson Nosipho Makamba-Botya said the EFF was disappointed in how the case was being handled.
Makamba-Botya said: “The manner in which this case is being handled is almost as if there is bias. How can a man who threatened the lives of South African citizens still not be taken to task? He undermined our rights to express ourselves when he fired his gun during our protest. In fact, that is attempted murder, yet we are having to wait for months on end to have justice prevail.”
“Today, we were not allowed in court and were told that the case had been postponed as we stood outside. We understand that that was court proceedings. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that the investigative team handling this case seems to be at a loss for what to do, regardless of the fact that there is evidence in the form of visuals and, of course, witness accounts.
“Hence our plan to approach them soon and have them answer as to why it is taking them so long to put that man behind bars for what he did,” said Makamba-Botya.
Cape Argus