The hijacked Uber was tracked to the late former president Nelson Mandela’s house in Houghton, Johannesburg. Picture: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
One of the grandsons of former president Nelson Mandela was not among the four suspects who appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Police arrested the grandson with four other suspects on Wednesday at the global icon’s home in Houghton, Johannesburg, and recovered an Uber vehicle reported to have been hijacked in Benoni, Ekurhuleni.
The four suspects face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstance, kidnapping, and assault.
Prosecutor Tshepo Mahange kaMzizi told the court that these were the preferred charges at this stage.
He said five people were arrested but only four were appearing at this stage.
According to Mahange kaMzizi, the prosecution will not be able to add the fifth person at this stage until further investigations.
The charges relate to the robbery and assault of an Uber driver earlier this week, the court heard.
Mahange kaMzizi asked the court to postpone the matter to next Friday, January 17, for an identity parade to be held over the weekend and further investigations.
The four suspects opted to be represented by Legal Aid and their legal representative objected to the postponement, which he argued should not be more than seven days as this would violate their right to apply for bail.
The Legal Aid representative said the ID parade should have been conducted “there and then” when his clients were arrested.
Mahange kaMzizi said the State was entitled to seven days.
“The ID parade goes either way, it may assist applicants (accused) in that bail application or it may assist the state,” the prosecutor explained.
Magistrate Johan Herman remanded the matter until next Friday for bail application.
The court ordered that the suspects not be identified in any manner including publishing their faces, names, race, and gender until their second appearance as requested by Mahange kaMzizi.
In addition, Herman also ordered that Friday’s court proceedings not be recorded live and the names of the suspects not disclosed to anyone.
Mahange kaMzizi indicated that the prosecution will oppose bail and warned the suspects that they face between 15 and 25 years in prison should they be found guilty and whether the incident was their first, second, or third offence.
Xolani Fihla, spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, whose officers arrested the group, referred inquiries about why the grandson did not appear in court to the SA Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za