By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A warrant of arrest was issued for suspected unrest instigator and Jacob Zuma ally, Bonginkosi Khanyile, after he failed to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Khanyile is alleged to be one of the instigators of the unrest that gripped South Africa in July.
His lawyer said on Monday that he was unable to get hold of him when he failed to arrive at court.
After not appearing in court on Monday, Khanyile’s bail was provisionally forfeited.
The warrant of arrest was stayed until 10 January, at which point Khanyile will have to provide a reason why he did not show up to court on Monday.
His case was also postponed to 8 February for a pre-trial conference.
Khanyile was charged with inciting public violence and holding an illegal gathering after he appeared in videos initially encouraging people in a Shoprite store to demand that Zuma be released from jail and then, during the unrest, telling people to continue rioting and looting until Zuma was released.
He has been out on R5000 bail.
His bail conditions prevented him from using his Twitter account until the court matter was resolved. He would also have to report to the Hillbrow police station in Johannesburg while attending school in Gauteng.
Natasha Kara, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in KZN, said there was a long list of bail conditions attached.
“He (Khanyile) was warned that should he breach his bail conditions, the State can bring an application to have his bail revoked and he can be kept in custody for the duration of the criminal matter,”Kara said.