'Thank u South Africa,' tweets Malema

03/08/2015 A very confident Julius Malema jokes with members of the media as he arrives inside the court room at North Gauteng High court sitting in Polokwane to face corruption charges. Picture: Phill Magakoe

03/08/2015 A very confident Julius Malema jokes with members of the media as he arrives inside the court room at North Gauteng High court sitting in Polokwane to face corruption charges. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Aug 4, 2015

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Polokwane – “Thank u South Africa,” EFF leader Julius Malema tweeted after his corruption trial was struck off the roll in the Polokwane High Court on Tuesday.

Judge George Motlhe indicated that the trial was taking too long, which prejudiced the Malema and his co-accused who were in court and ready to proceed.

“The matter is struck off the roll, what this means is that you are free to go…but because you have not pleaded yet, the State may or may not, at a later stage institute the charges,” Motlhe said.

“The bail money will be refunded to the accused.”

At 1.04pm Malema tweeted: “Thank u South Africa and the rest of the African continent, we are not oblivious of challenges ahead but we shall overcome. #Asijiki”

Malema, Lesiba Gwangwa and Kagiso Dichabe faced more than 50 charges of corruption and racketeering. Dichabe was absent from the court proceedings.

The court heard on Tuesday that he was suffering from depression, and applied to have the matter postponed.

Malema asked that he be tried separately following Dichabe’s absence “to prevent the delay of justice”.

In March 2014, corruption charges against Malema’s business associates Selbie Manthatha, his wife Helen Moreroa and his brother Makgetsi Manthatha, were dismissed. The three were initially charged along with Malema, Gwangwa and Dichabe in September 2012. They were accused of misrepresenting themselves to the Limpopo roads and transport department, leading to a R52-million contract being awarded to On-Point Engineering.

In court papers, it was alleged that Malema had business ties with Gwangwa, and that Malema’s Ratanang Family Trust was an indirect shareholder in On-Point. The State alleged that Malema substantially benefited from the tender payment to On-Point, using it to buy a farm and a Mercedes-Benz.

Malema has maintained that the charges against him are politically motivated and form part of a plot against him by his former allies in the ANC.

Speaking to the media outside the court where a large crowd of his supporters danced and sang in celebration, Malema said he was ready for the possibility of finding himself back in the dock.

“If they want to bring it, let them bring it afresh - I am not scared of them,” he said.

“I know because we are dealing with dogs they are going to manufacture something new,” he said. “They are free to do that.”

ANA and AFP

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