City lays criminal charges against Gatvol Capetonian
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‘NO TIES TO VIOLENCE’: Leader Fadiel Adams ‘NO TIES TO VIOLENCE’: Leader Fadiel Adams
The City of Cape Town has laid criminal charges and is suing Gatvol Capetonian and its national spokesperson for damages to infrastructure during the Total Shutdown Protest on the Cape Flats on Thursday.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says: “The total preliminary cost of these damages is likely to be in excess of R1.5 million.”
Smith says Mayor Dan Plato tried to get hold of Gatvol’s leader and spokesman, Fadiel Adams, last week but he had not answered or returned any of their calls.
Adams has said the aim of the protest was for the City to
provide houses for backyard dwellers.
FACING CHARGES: Gatvol Capetonian spokesperson Fadiel Adams
“The City has laid criminal charges in relation to incitement to violence and other offences against the national spokesperson of the organisation responsible for the illegal protests and more may follow in the next few days,” Smith explains.
“We hope that the arrest of this person may follow speedily as the City will be initiating a civil claim against him to recover the more than R1m infrastructure damages caused by the riots he incited.”
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith. File image
By Sunday, Adams had not yet been arrested, and he told the Daily Voice: “We were not contacted by the City or the mayor’s office.
“I went to the police station to hand myself over. There is no warrant issued for my arrest.
“I did not incite violence and no person from Gatvol participated in the violence.
“The gangster opportunists took advantage and it is exactly where the City wants to keep us - in our community, killing each other.”
Adams had also promised another protest later this month, telling Smith and Mayor Plato: “Come meet me on the road again on 29 August.”