'We want a discrimination-free South Africa': EFF leads protest at court over Maselspoort case

About 50 EFF protesters sang and danced in front of the Bloemfontein magistrate's court on Thursday as they awaited the first appearance of the man accused of attempting to murder a black teenager on Christmas Day at the Maselspoort holiday resort in the Free State.

EFF provincial chairperson Coach Liphoko, 43, told TimesLIVE his party “will not stop fighting for a discrimination-free South Africa”.

He says racial incidents provide more oxygen to “an already burning fire”.

“We have a rough history between white and black in this country, with white having the upper hand for the majority of the time. First colonialism and then apartheid. One incident like this and we are immediately back in those times.”

He said colour was a part of the South African “context”.

“No matter what people say, it is impossible to remove colour from our context. As black folk, we are reminded every day of our skin colour. This while the white people bask in their privilege. To give you an example: if the roles were reversed in this situation and a black man attacked a white child at a resort, do you think that man also would not have been arrested on the spot? Of course not. He would have been arrested there and then be given the opportunity to explain himself at the police station.”

The man from Bloemfontein appearing on Thursday handed himself over to the police at midday on Wednesday. He is expected to be charged with attempted murder.

Two other accused, Johan Nel, 47, from Brandfort, and Johannes Stephanus van der Westhuizen, 33, from Bothaville, appeared in the Bloemfontein magistrate's court on Wednesday where they were charged with assault common and crimen injuria.

TimesLIVE