The large group was arrested after a protest by artists and others in the entertainment sector. They blockaded the N3 in Durban near the Pavilion Shopping Centre and staged a mini concert.
FILE: A group of artists and entertainers blocked the roadway earlier and staged a mini-concert on the N3 in KZN on Wednesday, 2 September 2020. Picture: Supplied
DURBAN – Thirty-two suspects appeared in the Pinetown Magistrates Court on Wednesday for contravening the Road Traffic Management Act and gathering illegally.
The large group was arrested after a protest by artists and others in the entertainment sector. They blockaded the N3 in Durban near the Pavilion Shopping Centre and staged a mini-concert.
#EntertainersProtest Scores of people have gathered outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court where 32 suspects are expected to appear. They are charged with contravening the road traffic management act and illegally gathering. @NkoRaphael pic.twitter.com/WzdbkNNHJo
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 9, 2020
Creative sector organisations were outside court in solidarity with the accused.
People who work in the creative sector in KwaZulu-Natal called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to relax lockdown regulations so they could get back to business.
They want venues to accommodate up to 70% of their usual capacity and the curfew to be extended to 2am.
Koze Kuse hitmaker, Mondli Ngcobo, said they also wanted the court to be lenient on their colleagues who were arrested last week.
“What we want to see is their release on warning without a criminal record. That is our main focus,” he said.
Ngcobo said that talks with government were progressive since last week’s protest.
People who work in the entertainment value chain including artists, event promoters, security company owners, venue owners and artists’ managers have started singing ‘Aw’vule President / Open Mr. President’. They want venues to accommodate up to 70% of their capacity. @NkoRaphael pic.twitter.com/XCZ9cU3xs5
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 9, 2020
