Malema visits Jub Jub in jail

Published Mar 17, 2010

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By Alex Eliseev

Julius Malema paid a prison visit to Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye on the eve of the hip-hop artist's court appearance for the murder of four schoolboys.

The Star has established that the controversial ANC Youth League president spent time with Maarohanye on Monday, the day Malema was convicted in absentia of hate speech by the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court.

Joburg Correctional Services has confirmed the visit, but would not reveal its purpose. Spokeswoman Samantha Ramsewaki maintained no special treatment was dished out to Malema at the Johannesburg Prison (known as Sun City).

But a warder from the facility has described how Malema and his entourage were escorted by warders, allowed to meet in a private room and forced some officers to work overtime.

The warder, who asked not to be named, claimed Malema and Maarohanye were treated to Nando's chicken.

Another witness claimed to have seen the group of visitors at the prison. They had parked their luxury cars - including a 4x4 and a BMW - outside a gate where normally no parking is allowed.

"It was a large group. They were very well dressed and had a female warder escorting them," the witness said.

"I found it strange... the friendliness with which they were received. One of the cars had a Limpopo number plate."

Maarohanye is an awaiting-trial prisoner and was due to appear in the Protea Magistrate's Court this morning alongside Themba Tshabalala. The two were allegedly racing their respective Mini Coopers when they crashed and killed four schoolboys and injured two others.

ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu refused to comment, demanding to know who the sources of The Star's story were. "Go speak to the sources," he kept saying.

When he was told that the sources would not be divulged, he had this to say: "I'm going to drop the phone. Don't call me again."

A person answering Malema's cellphone said: "I am not going to comment on that."

The news has, meanwhile, angered one of the families of the slain boys.

"It's absolutely not right," said Edwin Masemola, father of 16-year-old Phomelelo. "I am very disappointed. He should have visited the victims' families, not the accused."

Masemola said the only politician he met was Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.

Malema had planned to visit the four families last week, but did not do so. No explanation as to why the visits did not take place was forthcoming from the league or Malema.

Ramsewaki claimed that while Monday's prison visit was specially arranged, there was nothing irregular about Malema's visit.

"We complied with the necessary procedures because the visit fell within the normal day for visitations and we adhered to the times allocated for such visits," she said.

"A formal request was made by an official in Mr Malema's office for the visit, and the detainee did agree to the meeting."

Asked whether there was truth in the warder's allegation that a director of the awaiting-trial section oversaw the visit, Ramsewaki said: "The visit was in fact overseen by a security manager of the correctional facility. And, in this case, because of the profile of both the politician and inmate, and the nature of recent events, they deemed it necessary to take it to a private space."

Joburg lawyer Anita Campbell, of BDK attorneys, said regular visitations at the prison were conducted through glass barriers and in crowded public areas. She said the visits did not last long. Lawyers and social workers were allowed to use private consultation rooms, but had to make an appointment.

Ramsewaki said various days in the week were allocated to visiting awaiting-trial prisoners, depending on which court they were appearing in.

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