Visvin Reddy, an MK Party Member of Parliament.
Image: Nadia Khan
Visvin Reddy, an MK Party Member of Parliament, pleaded guilty to a charge of incitement to commit public violence in the Durban Regional Court on Friday.
He was handed a sentence of a R30,000 fine or 10 months imprisonment of which five months were suspended for five years on condition he does not commit the same offence within that period.
According to the plea and sentence agreement, Reddy was charged following his address during a political rally in Shallcross in March 2024.
During his address, he said: "Hear me carefully, this country will be turned into a civil war the day the MK is not allowed to campaign and be on the ballot paper. No one will vote. No one in this country will vote. We will make sure of it..."
Speaking to the POST, Reddy said he took full responsibility and expressed remorse for his actions.
"I said what I said. It was wrong and I take full responsibility. There will be no excuses. There will be no shifting of blame. There will be no attempt to reinterpret what was said.
"In a political environment where denial has become the norm, I have chosen a different path - one of honesty, humility, and accountability. As leaders, our words carry weight. When we fail in that responsibility, we must own it completely," he said.