A 38-year-old man accused of crimen injuria and incitement of violence over a TikTok video has been granted R7 000 bail in the Durban Magistrate's Court. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
He was arrested on Sunday 1 November and appeared in court on Monday 2 November. The case was postponed to 20 January 2027. As a bail condition he may not directly or indirectly incite violence.
What police say
KwaZulu-Natal police said in a statement that after "realising that the suspect's TikTok rant contained criminal elements of crime injuria and incitement of violence, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Task Team opened a case for investigation". They said he was traced and found at Princess Magogo Stadium in KwaMashu, where he was arrested.
In the video, delivered in isiZulu, the man allegedly asks: "Do you not see that our rights are being violated in eThekwini?" The video allegedly accuses KwaZulu-Natal police under Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of violating people's rights. The allegations have not been tested in court.
Security around the elections
The case comes amid heightened security in the province before the local government elections. Deputy National Commissioner for Policing and NATJOINTS co-chairperson Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili said security was in place in all provinces and that the SANDF stands ready to support police. She said: "No individual or organisation has the right to obstruct voting stations, threaten electoral officials, intimidate voters or undermine another person's democratic rights." She said no marches or demonstrations would be permitted on voting day.
What we do not yet know
We have not seen the charge sheet or the video. We do not know whether the accused has responded to the allegations, or whether he has legal representation that has commented.
