Local comedian Soli Philander was locked up for trying to save a girl from an alleged paedophile.
Philander was arrested on Saturday morning for violating a peace order after he moered the director of the Marion Institute, Peter Agulhas.
Philander had accused Agulhas of locking the local community out of the institute in Chapel Street, Woodstock, and for attacking him when he tried to remove a four-year-old girl from the building.
According to Philander, the girl’s mother was a drug addict and there was also a “paedophile” living at the institute.
He made the accusations in a series of Facebook posts which resulted in a physical altercation on Friday night.
After his release the same day, Philander posted: “Last night Peter came for me. Tried to push me down the stairs. I moered him. Two of his honchos jumped in. A community member jumped in. We all went flying down the stairs.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirms the arrest: “A 59-year-old man was arrested this morning on charges of contravention of a protection order and assault common.
“He is due to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court once charged on the mentioned charges.”
The protection order was issued in December when Philander and other residents tried to physically remove Agulhas from the building.
On Sunday about 150 District Six residents led by Philander picketed outside the Marion, demanding that the community be allowed to make use of it.
PROTEST: Children at Marion Institute in Woodstock want director out
Philander accused Agulhas of turning away food donations for the community during the lockdown.
But, he says the fight broke out when he tried to save the teen from an “abusive environment”.
“All the hoo-ha was about my initial purpose, to free the girl from a paedophile,” Philander tells the Daily Voice.
“The girl’s mother is a tik addict. Thank God, the girl is now in social services’ custody and we have a strong case to remove the girl from her mother completely.”
He said Agulhas had told the community they cannot enter the building because they (the community) are investigating him.
“The reason he uttered was that he is under investigation by the community. His reasoning is very odd. That’s what came out of his mouth. We’re still waiting to understand how that works,” says Philander.
Soli Philander was arrested Saturday. Video: Ra-ees Moerat
The actor’s passion to restore District Six runs deep: “I grew up here, visiting my grandma’s sister, playing in the streets. It is part of my identity and it echoes in my being.”
The institute, which is over a century old, has a nursery school and hosts events.
Agulhas did not answer his phone or respond to messages yesterday.
A resident at the institute said Agulhas was consulting his lawyers.
ra-ees.moerat@inl.co.za