Toekies community comes together to #FreeBruceNimmerhoudt
The protest was held to 'create awareness of the injustice against one of their community members and to speak out against it'.
The community of Toekomsrus took a stand on Saturday, July 24 with a peaceful protest in support of Bruce Nimmerhoudt, who was arrested for allegedly creating a voice note inciting violence on the West Rand.
Raylene Martin, one of the organisers explained they held the #FreeBruceNimmerhoudt protest because the community of Toekies wanted to show solidarity with Bruce and his family.
The protest was organised by the Patriotic Alliance Youth League and the community of Toekomsrus.
“He is an upstanding member of the community that has spent his life serving and building his community, and the incarceration of an innocent man is an injustice that is felt across our community,” said Martin.
She said they also used the opportunity to hand out 200 cups of soup and 70 loaves of bread during their biggest food drive ever.
“The Patriotic Alliance has done food drives since the start of the level four lockdown because we realised that many in our community have lost their jobs and livelihoods. Bruce spearheaded the food drive before his wrongful incarceration and we wanted to continue the good work he started.”
She said they didn’t believe in violence in any form, but halfway through the protest they were stopped by the Randfontein Police because they said gatherings weren’t allowed.
“We felt it was important to speak out against the injustice done to an innocent man; today it’s Bruce but tomorrow it might be you. Our legal system needs to investigate matters first before arresting innocent people. This was not done and Bruce is still in jail with no evidence proving his guilt.”
Members of communities such as Riverlea, Northcliff, Davidsonville, Noordgesig and Claremont joined the people of Toekomsrus in the protest.
Martin explained Nimmerhoudt stood for truth and servitude towards humanity, and that his reputation as a God-fearing man, community builder and family man is well known.
“There is no evidence linking him to this crime of inciting violence; it’s a plot to ruin his reputation and derail his plans to make a difference in Rand West. We believe the attack is political and the arrest was made mainly because of a tip-off from someone who wanted to destroy him. His lawyers, however, are adamant that there is no case and his release is imminent. He was accused of being the mastermind behind the looting across South Africa, and identified as the person who originated a fake voice note. That voice note has since been proven not to be by him and yet he is still locked up. We have to fight against a system that arrests to investigate instead of investigate to arrest. The law has failed him and we continue to fight for a more just and equal society,” said Martin.
One of PA youth members, Claudio Sykes, explained the impact that Nimmerhoudt has had on his life. “As a young man in Toekomsrus, there was no future, no hope until I met Bruce Nimmerhoudt. I have been with the Patriotic Alliance since 2016 and what I have experienced is nothing but love, leadership and direction. Without Mayor Bruce Nimmerhoudt, I don’t know where I would have been. He is the true definition of what a leader should be, a family man who is not only a father to his children, but to the children of Toekomsrus.”
