Pretoria – Lobby group AfriForum said it had submitted complaints against EFF leader Julius Malema at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for alleged incitement of violence and hate speech.
AfriForum’s campaign officer for strategy and content Ernst van Zyl said: “This follows after Malema said at an EFF rally in the Western Cape that, ‘you (EFF supporters) must never be scared to kill’ and that ‘a revolution demands that at some point there must be killing, because the killing is part of a revolutionary act’.”
Van Zyl said AfriForum was demanding that the SAHRC investigate Malema’s comments and that they take “an uncompromising stance and action against this violent rhetoric”.
“AfriForum urges its members to help put pressure on the SAHRC to urgently investigate Malema for these comments by visiting the webpage www.stopmalema.co.za – an easy way to submit a standard complaint,” he said.
“The political environment in South Africa keeps radicalising. Every time a politician is let off the hook for extremist or violent rhetoric, it leads to the escalation of such rhetoric.
“It is unfortunate that currently political elites are often given a free pass by those who have the authority to intervene. Therefore, it’s so important for AfriForum to step in and ensure that there are consequences for incitement of violence by politicians,” he said.
He said there has been a growing trend of politicians threatening minority groups in South Africa.
“In light of a political environment increasingly characterised by politicians threatening violence against minority groups with impunity, AfriForum will continue to sharpen and intensify the training and readiness of our community security structures. We strongly encourage the public to get involved with such initiatives,” Van Zyl said.
In August, jubilant EFF leaders broke into song in court, singing “kiss the boer, kiss the farmer”, after the Equality Court dismissed AfriForum’s case that the Struggle song “Dubul’bhunu” constitutes hate speech.
The court ordered AfriForum to pay costs.
Inside court, EFF deputy secretary-general Poppy Mailola and other EFF members broke into song in the face of AfriForum leaders who were also still present after Judge Edwin Molahlehi handed down the ruling at the Equality Court, sitting at the Johannesburg High Court.
Last month, EFF leader Julius Malema said his acquittal in the assault case brought against him and EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was a victory against racism in South Africa.
Malema spoke to a throng of supporters outside the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, after magistrate Leiland Poonsamy found that the duo’s actions were justified.
Celebrating that court victory, Malema said he was ready for another battle with AfriForum if they appeal against the “Dubul’ ibhunu” court ruling.
“Today, AfriForum is applying to appeal (the court ruling). That will be their life. They will appeal until they become purple because they will never win against the EFF. When we say to them, the EFF leads through superior logic, they thought we were joking.
“The judge said the evidence given by accused number one and two (in the assault case) can never be disputed on anything – not even the smallest piece. Judges keep saying that which leaders of the EFF say in court, they are correct. It is judges who are sober, who make sober judgments,” said Malema.
IOL