Fadiel Adams appears in court

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:00]20 minutes past 3 now, let's focus on the court appearance of the member of parliament from the national colored convention party Fadiel Adams appearing in in court today and Ntslantla Mabaso is keeping track of what's become quite an intricate conversation in the courts from what I can gather. Ntslantla, very good afternoon to you. Where do we stand so far? What has the court concluded if indeed anything yet?

[00:00:35]Ntslantla, very good afternoon to you.

[00:00:38]Good afternoon John. Do you hear Can you hear me now? Yes, we can hear you now.

[00:00:41]Fadiel Adams, leader of the National Colored Congress, let me just quickly correct the name of the party that I that I used a moment ago. Where where do we stand with the court proceedings now?

[00:00:54]We're waiting for the defense John to take to the stand. Remember, the the state had to present the investigative officers as to why they are opposing bail in this matter. The state had things like his behavior towards the criminal justice system, towards the court. They cited a previous court order by the Cape Town municipality where he basically said defamatory words about the municipal manager who then made criminal charges against him. There was a court order ordering him or compelling him to take down those social media posts. The court says that he he did not adhere to those particular orders. So, today what was intriguing rather was when the state presented what they say were his utterances against the political king star. They believe he has a personal vendetta against the unit.

[00:01:43]But surprisingly John, as we are currently sitting here, the guy who was known to be the protector of the suspended deputy national commissioner for crime detection general of PR that's Sunny. He just arrived in court here, causing a bit of a scene, commotion referring to people that this is Mkhwanazi's stock sale. He likes drama. And Mkhwanazi did this and Mkhwanazi did that. But the proceedings have since been adjourned. We are expecting the defense, which is Eric Ngcobo, a former senior state prosecutor, who was who came on record today saying that he's now representing the accused before court, the member of parliament.

[00:02:22]So, we yet to hear as to what is going to proceed with against the state case with the state saying that, "Look, we don't want this guy released."

[00:02:29]And they're saying that he has, already even before his arrest, threatened witnesses in the Magagasha case. They say, "Should he be released, he remains a risk to all witnesses in the matter, especially with the matter going on till next week, John."

[00:02:43]I mean, one of the things that always gives us kind of interesting clues to to a court matter that has the kind of wider political and and social significance of this one. And S'londwe, who is who's there observing? Who's there in support? And and so on. I mean, who's in the court today that that that we ought to know about?

[00:03:05]It's a very packed courtroom, like I've mentioned, John, with his family in the main coming to support him. But the only figure that has drew attention since is the person that I'm mentioning now, the guy who's called the Sonic, who has appeared on TV several times. You'd recall that he had that fire issue. But again, appeared on TV known as to be the protector of General Cedric Mkhwanazi at some point.

[00:03:32]He's the notable figure who just arrived now. But we do know that the leadership for the National Color Congress is also inside court in support of their leader. But we do know that there are also a lot of student investigators who are working, if not on this case particularly, but on the Sindiso Magagasha case.

[00:03:52]this includes the lead prosecutors in that matter, but advocate Lawrence Jaba, advocate Wiseman Zwane, who have been covering major political killing related cases, including the murder of AKA, among others. Those are the people who are here in court. We do understand they are here to just listen in as these two other state prosecutors, advocates Nomagugu Zungu and Zuleka Mhlongo, bring this particular matter to court. They basically say that although they joined they had no intention to oppose bail for Adams and Cele, but they are saying yes, based on what he said about the criminal justice and the team itself, [clears throat] they say they will now be opposing it. We are now expecting that after these affidavits have been presented to court, they will now start to argue on the bail.

[00:04:37]Thanks so much, Slindelo Masuku, down in the Pietermaritzburg court. It's 24 minutes past 3:00.