DURBAN – TEN suspects linked to the Phoenix murders during the provincial riots two weeks ago will appear in court on bail on Friday. This comes after the suspects first appeared before the Verulam District Court yesterday, faced with various charges. National Prosecutor’s regional spokeswoman Natasha Kara said the charges the defendants faced included murder, attempted murder, possession of stolen property, malicious damage to property, unlawful possession of firearms, and unlawful possession of ammunition to the exclusion of Maintained public as no identity parade has yet to be held. The suspects were arrested over the weekend and, according to police, have been linked to more than one murder. More than 22 people died, several vehicles were set on fire and scores were injured during the violence linked to racist tension in the Phoenix area. Outside the court there was a heavy police presence with several police officers and more than 20 SANDF members, The police and army had to close down George Sewpersadh Street as dozens of people gathered in front of the court. The protesters were divided into two groups, one supporting the accused and the other demanding the release of the suspects to refuse bail. At some point, police and soldiers had to intervene after parishioners from Inanda reached out to the residents of Phoenix demanding that they throw away their posters, accusing them of being insensitive to the grieving families and saying that their actions were “salting.” give the wounds ”. Alice Govender, Phoenix community activist, said even though they came out to support the defendants, they knew the wrongdoers would face the full extent of the law. “We only demand that our community must not be called racist, we have been here for over 100 years.”, She said. ANCYL national spokeswoman Sizophila Mkhize accused the ANC national leadership of denying and ignoring the racial tensions that have emerged in the Durban areas. “The situation will get worse if the government keeps ticking this situation in blue.” They are busy collecting looted food and sanitary towels from the desperate, yet they ignore ambushing heavily armed people for firearms. “The leadership didn’t even come here, which shows that the leadership ignored such an important issue. What is going to happen is that these communities are going to provoke each other and we don’t want to see that, ”she said. President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement released yesterday that the unrest is having a major impact on the social cohesion of communities. Ramaphosa said he knew from official reports and personal reports that people at illegal roadblocks were racially profiled, some removed from cars and beaten, others humiliated and humiliated, and several killed were tolerated in that country, he said, adding that there was one Crime and be dangerous. However, he said the narrative of the events in Phoenix has been dominated by attempts to turn one race against another. “It was fueled by anonymous people on social media and messaging groups making outrageous claims and calling for revenge.” There were people trying to take advantage of people’s vulnerability and wreaking havoc, there were those who were criminal seek to be racist for their own ends. “The events in Phoenix are a painful reminder of the work we still have to do to build inclusive communities that have successfully broken the boundaries of the past,” he said. THE MERCURY
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