A 36-year-old man is expected to appear before the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga on Monday for allegedly inciting public violence.
The man’s arrest follows his social media post in which he allegedly said “the country must be shut down, and the president must be removed”, which suggests harm against President Cyril Ramaphosa and inciting public violence.
The suspect was arrested by the Nelspruit-based Serious Organisation Crime Investigation along with Crime Intelligence for alleged contravention of section 17 of the Riotous Assemblies Act 17 of 1965.
Following a thorough investigation, he was further found allegedly in breach of section 14 of the Cybercrimes Act of 2020, which warns that “any person who discloses by means of an electronic communication, a data message to a person or group of persons, or the public in general with the intention to incite violence shall be guilty as charged”.
The acting provincial head of the Hawks, Brigadier Gregory Gaillard, applauded the swift arrest of the suspect. “As the Hawks, we shall protect the inhabitants of the Republic and arrest everyone who is acting against the law, without fear or favour,” said Gaillard.