Six members of the Alexandra Dudula Movement and #OperationFiyela, arrested on March 8 following violence that erupted at the Pan Africa trading square, have been remanded in custody to appear again on March 17 for a formal bail application.

The group appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court earlier today.

Addressing a large group of supporters that gathered outside the court building, chairperson of Dudula, Simon ‘Msyza’ Tsatsi, appealed to members to remain calm and said that they should brace themselves for financial contributions, to help bail out their comrades when they appear in court next week.

“I want you to be disciplined and not attack anyone so that they can see that our fiyela operation is an orderly and peaceful process that involves us asking people to leave our pavements and streets for South Africans,” Tsatsi said.

He said members will need to raise money to the tune of R20 000 to pay the bail of their comrades, which he said roughly translates to R3 000 per person for the six arrested members.

Family members of the accused offered to pay the bail amount determined on the day, but Tsatsi explained that they were arrested whilst doing Dudula work and that the Dudula family ‘should foot the bill’.

“We don’t want this to appear as pressure being put on you. You can contribute like anybody else. We are family in this movement and we should all learn to take care of each other. An injury to one is an injury to all family members,” he said outside the doors of the court.

The organisation has already nominated people to handle the donations for bail money and lawyers have already been appointed to defend those arrested.