Four suspects, Siyamcela Mantshontsho, 27, Siyamdumiso Vena, 30, Ngcaliyethu Dingani, 22, and Zukisa Sigoxo, 20, left the magistrate’s court on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Khanya Ganjana, president of the EFF student group at NMU, all four students are members of the party’s student group.
The group was arrested on Tuesday on the second day of student demonstrations at NMU.
Students on Monday and Tuesday blocked the entrance to the North and South Campus.
Students’ behavior escalated on Tuesday as protesters also entered the classes and chased students.
The four students heard in the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday that the case is a Class 5 felony and evidence must be provided for a bail application.
The four students’ legal representative, Mpvmelelo Nyoka, said in the bail application that none of the four had previous convictions or pending cases against them.
“It is a matter of social justice rather than a criminal matter.
“They fought for residency, registration and equal access to education.
“The group must be at the university to clarify the issues with them (the university management). They were already punished for being in custody all day and night with people they should not be with, ”Nyoka said in the bail application.
Although the state did not oppose the bail application, the investigating officer recommended a bail of R1 000 for each of the students.
Nyoka was of the opinion that the students could not afford this “astronomical” amount and asked for only R200 bail each.
Magistrate Fiona Bosman granted bail of R100 each to the students, on condition that they obey the court order and are not involved in any protest action on either campus.
Outside the court, Ganjana said they were satisfied with the outcome, but disappointed in NMU’s actions.
The case was postponed to April 23.
