The lives of hip-hop artist Jub Jub and his friend are in danger, the Protea Magistrate’s Court heard on Thursday.
“I fear for the safety of the accused, their families and property,” Nkanyiso Maphanga, police Assistant Commissioner in Protea, Soweto, told the court.
“They [students] have already showed their anger in destroying property.”
He was testifying on the second day of the bail application by “Jub Jub” Maarohanye and his friend, Themba Tshabalala, who are facing murder charges for allegedly killing four schoolchildren while drag racing.
Maphanga said the police had tried to speak to protesting students on Wednesday, but he said that on Thursday there were again placards threatening to kill Jub Jub.
Outside the court, tempers flared.
Hundreds of stick-wielding school boys descended upon the court at about 10am, crashing through a police barricade set up on the street corner to control entry.
“Jub Jub must suffer… jail is the best place for you. If you get bail, then run to Paris or die,” read one of the signs, scrawled on a copy of a Daily Sun newspaper, held up by children outside the court.
Protesters also threatened his mother, who is known as Mama Jackey, who is controversial figure in Soweto after she was found guilty of kidnapping a student at her school, the Ithuteng Trust, in 2007.
“We are going to kill his mother, we will burn the house,” said a protester.
Another school pupil was angry with African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema for visiting Jub Jub in jail earlier this week.
“If Julius Malema continues to visit Jub Jub we are going to follow him to his house and burn it,” said a girl who called herself “Nelly”.
“Why is he visiting Jub Jub in the prison? He is the youth league president, he should be with us, outside.”
Vulgarities
Protesters forced a correctional services van arriving at the court to turn around after pounding on its sides, screaming, “Give us Jub Jub”, seemingly unaware that Jub Jub was already in court.
The children sang, “Jub Jub is a dog” and chanted vulgarities to the police.
The police parked a nyala behind the court gate to prevent it from collapsing in case students started pushing against it, while a water cannon was moved outside the court house.
On Wednesday, five schoolchildren were arrested for public violence after protesting out of anger against Jub Jub and Tshabalala’s actions, which allegedly led to the death of four pupils.
The court heard on Wednesday that the pair tested positive for morphine and cocaine when their urine samples were taken.
Tshabalala also had alcohol in his blood. A breathalyser showed his alcohol levels were 0,4 milligrams of alcohol per 1000 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 0,24.
The two were allegedly racing their Mini Coopers on Mdlalose Street, Soweto, on Monday March 8 when they crashed into a group of schoolboys, killing four and critically injuring two.
They face four charges of murder, two of attempted murder and one each of reckless and drunken driving.
The bail hearing was expected to be wrapped up by Thursday afternoon.
The state is opposing bail. — Sapa