Johannesburg - Mcebo Dlamini was on Monday convicted in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court for public violence related to criminal activities he took part in during the Fees Must Fall protests.
The former student leader, who was also previously the chairperson of the SRC at Wits University, had been one of the more recognisable faces during violent student clashes with police around 2016, as thousands of students hit the streets and brought a temporary shutdown to academic institutions as they called for free education.
But just as his guilty conviction was confirmed on Monday, Dlamini’s plea statement to the court made allegations again that he was the love child of Zwelakhe Sisulu, a former journalist from the Sisulu family.
In 2014, Dlamini, who was known as ‘Mcebo Olyate Sisulu’ at the time, was exposed in a Wits Vuvuzela report for lying about his Sisulu roots. He had also previously claimed to be the son of former National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu as well as being the holder of an actuarial science and nuclear physics degree.
Dlamini faced six counts, but he has been convicted on two counts, public violence and violating the country’s immigration act. He pleaded guilty to both charges.
On pleading guilty for violating the immigrations act, Dlamini said in his plea statement which was submitted in court, that he was born in Mbabane, Swaziland, to Witness Nkosingiphile Dlamini, a South African woman from Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal.
He also claimed in his plea statement that he was the son of Zwelakhe Sisulu. This has been denied by the Sisulu family in the past.
Despite pleading guilty to contravening the immigration act, Dlamini said he still aimed to show cause that he was worthy of his South African citizenship.