EFF members arrested during Brackenfell protests released

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Cape metro has confirmed that eight of its members, who were arrested for allegedly inciting violence during the Brackenfell High School protest on Friday, have been released on warning.

“We are happy to inform you that all our eight fighters who were wrongly arrested public violence by the racist police have been released on warning,” EFF regional secretary Bamzi Dambuza said in a statement.

Dambuza said the case against the eight members was postponed to 12 February 2021 after they made an appearance in court on Monday.

EFF leaders who led Friday’s Brackenfell protest clash with police. Picture: Twitter/@EFFSouthAfrica

Approximately 3000 demonstrators took to the streets on Friday despite the police allowing 500 people to make their way to hand over the memorandum, as per the agreement allowing the party to organise a protest.

ALSO READ: EFF will conduct door-to-door campaign in Brackenfell if beret is not returned

Stun grenades and water cannons were seen being used to disperse the crowds as the march to the high school became increasingly tense.

The EFF were at the school to protest allegations of racism.

Demonstrators sprayed with water cannons by police. Picture: Twitter/@EFFSouthAfrica

Dambuza also said that five EFF members were injured in the protests after a motor vehicle accidentally ran into the crowd.

“The EFF Cape Metro RCT [regional command team] leadership has been on the ground after the Brackenfell march ensuring that all our fighters who were arrested and those who were injured are in good spirits.

“We are happy to announce that everyone we visited is doing well and we will continuously check them out for their progress. According to our records there is no fighter that is in hospital.”

He further said that the regional leadership would meet all injured protestors in an effort to assist them to apply for compensation through the Road Accident Fund (RAF).

“We are so engaging lawyers about RAF process.”

The party has also the accused police of inciting violence as they gathered outside Brackenfell.

“SAPS [South African Police Service] needed to just arrest someone for the sake of making sure that when they are answering to their masters, they have a report of some sort,” Dambuza added.

Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town said it planned to take civil action against the EFF to recover the cost of damages caused to municipality property.

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