MK party gets R150 000 fine for inciting violence ahead of elections
MK Party’s Bonginkosi Khanyile and Visvin Reddy have been slapped with R150 000 fine each for inciting violence ahead of the elections.
The Electoral Court has instructed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party members Bonginkosi Khanyile and Visvin Reddy to pay a fine of R150 000 each.
Ahead of the 29 May elections, the two were filmed saying that if the MK Party did not appear in the ballot box, there would be anarchy and riots of an unprecedented scale. The videos were widely circulated and viewed by scores of people on social media platforms.
MK PARTY’S BONGINKOSI KHANYILE AND VISVIN REDDY SLAPPED WITH R150 000 FINE
In the viral video, Bonginkosi Khanyile said they were prepared to lay down their lives for Jacob Zuma who leads the MK Party.
“If they remove the MKP and President Zuma from the ballot as the face of the campaign and try to take our rights, there won’t be elections in South Africa,” Khanyile said while addressing the media.
KwaZulu-Natal MK supporter, Visvin Reddy, also posted a video saying that there would be anarchy if the party is blocked from contesting the National and Provincial Elections that were held on 29 May.
Reddy accused the African National Congress (ANC) of doing everything they could to stop the MK Party from contesting the elections. He insisted there would be no elections if his party was barred from being on the ballot.
Earlier in April, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) charged Reddy for inciting violence.
The MK party distanced itself from Reddy’s comments, saying he is not their member.
On Wednesday, the Electoral Court said the R150 000 fine is suspended for five years on condition that:
- The two do not contravene sections 87(1) and 87(2) of the Electoral Act 73 of 1998 during the suspension period.
- The two do not make any statements intended to undermine the integrity of any electoral process during the suspension period.