Job Sikhala appears in South African court over explosives charge

HARARE – Former St Mary’s MP Job Sikhala appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates Court in South Africa on Monday following his arrest for allegedly being in possession of explosives.

The 53-year-old opposition politician was arrested on Friday night alongside his 78-year-old uncle, Alexander Ferrowst Thema, and both are facing charges of possession of explosives.

According to Lumka Mahanjana, the Gauteng regional spokesperson for South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the pair were stopped by police along Kgosi Mampuru Street in Pretoria on November 6 after a tip about a suspicious vehicle.

“When the police searched the car, they found 26 units of blasting cartridges and 15 units of connector cap fuses,” Mahanjana said.

The two men appeared briefly in court, where the case was postponed to Thursday, November 13, for a formal bail hearing. They remain in custody.

Sikhala, a veteran opposition figure and former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmaker, was released from a lengthy spell in detention in Zimbabwe last year after being accused of inciting violence.

His arrest in South Africa has stunned supporters and sparked speculation that he may have been lured into a trap.

South African authorities have not commented further on the origin or intended use of the explosives.