Man arrested during Fairview protests released on bail

A man arrested last Thursday at the Fairview Racecourse during violent protests appeared briefly in the St Albans Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Zukile Matshisi, 49, was detained by police during the protests at the racecourse in Greenbushes where a crowd of angry former workers released 28 racehorses from their stables.

Spurred on by frustrated former grooms who demanded horse owner Hedley McGrath change information on their UIF forms, the group of about 200 people released the horses and allegedly injured a number of them.

One horse died during the commotion.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said Matshisi had been charged with public violence and malicious injury to property and was released on bail.

Naidu could not confirm what the bail amount was.

Matshisi is expected back in court on October 26.

HeraldLIVE