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Two Held in South Africa Over Explosives as Reports Identify Zimbabwean Opposition Figure Job Sikhala

Police have withheld the suspects' names until a court appearance on Monday.

Overview

  • South African police said they detained two men after finding 26 blasting cartridges and detonating devices in a vehicle.
  • The detainees are 53 and 78 years old, and their identities will be confirmed in court.
  • Zimbabwean and South African media reported that the younger man is Job Sikhala, a former Citizens Coalition for Change lawmaker.
  • Sikhala’s brother said lawyers informed him of the arrest and that Sikhala was stopped with his uncle after meeting friends.
  • Sikhala was released in January 2024 after nearly 600 days in pre-trial detention and a conviction for inciting public violence, as political tensions rise following Zanu-PF’s push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term.