POLOKO TAU
SHORTLY after her court appearance, Miyelani Chauke lay face up with her hands sprawled across the concrete surface between the holding cells and the courtroom.
An emotionally overwhelmed Chauke had earlier struggled to hold back tears as she hugged and kissed a family member inside the court.
She took a few bold steps before she collapsed outside the courtroom at the Protea Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Chauke is one of the 26 Chiawelo residents who were arrested two months ago following violent protests in which houses and vehicles of two councillors were torched.
Residents were protesting against prepaid electricity meters they claim were running faster and therefore making electricity too expensive for them.
One more suspect, Jabulani Mkatshwa, was arrested on September 22 and joined the group as the 26th suspect yesterday.
A 14-year-old schoolboy is among the suspects and has been released into his guardian’s custody.
Yesterday was the second effort by the Chiawelo residents to get bail following a failed attempt in July.
Only two relatives per accused person were allowed inside the court in a process co-ordinated by community members.
Some relatives sobbed softly as the group slowly made their way into the court. Others smiled and waved at their relatives.
Soon after they were informed that their lawyers were still finalising their affidavits and that their bail application was expected to be heard today, the group and the relatives left the court equally disappointed. Then, Chauke collapsed.
Chiawelo residents had taken to the streets in protest against the split metering.
The system separates a meter from the keypad used to punch in an electricity voucher. The meter is kept in “tamper-proof” green steel boxes in the streets.
Eskom said the new system was aimed at curbing electricity meter bypassing and illegal connections, which they said caused power outages.