Former St Mary’s and Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala has been granted bail by the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court following his arrest on charges of possession of explosives in South Africa.
Sikhala and his uncle, Alexander Thema, were each granted R10,000 bail when they appeared before the court on Thursday. The matter has been postponed to February 3, 2026.
The two were arrested last week after police allegedly discovered explosives in their vehicle while they were driving in Pretoria.
Sikhala’s lawyer, Norman Maluleka, said his client would comply fully with all bail conditions. Said Maluleka:
“He is not the kind of man who can simply disappear without anybody noticing. He also has strong family ties in South Africa and Johannesburg within the court’s jurisdiction.”
Interestingly, while the South African court granted Sikhala bail on his first appearance, he had a very different experience in Zimbabwe, where he was denied bail multiple times and spent nearly two years in prison without trial.
Between 2022 and 2023, Sikhala’s bail applications were rejected at least six times, with the courts consistently ruling that there were no changed circumstances to warrant his release.
He was arrested in June 2022 for allegedly inciting violence and obstructing justice after sharing a video about the murder of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist Moreblessing Ali.
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