South African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema gestures as he delivers a speech during a press conference on 15 February 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: AFP/Gianguigi Guercia
South African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema gestures as he delivers a speech during a press conference on 15 February 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: AFP/Gianguigi Guercia
AfriForum have continued their fight to have Julius Malema prosecuted by the NPA. They have submitted a court application on Thursday, in order to speed-up the decision-making process. The lobby group want Malema to answer to a number of charges, including robbery, fraud and corruption.
AfriForum: Why they want to prosecute Julius Malema
The counts of criminal activity are related to the On Point scandal which embroiled Julius Malema in 2009. The engineering company was, allegedly, found to be funnelling money to a family trust owned by Juju.
The trust had an interest in On Point, which was appointed to support the Roads and Transport Department in Limpopo ten years ago. The company were involved with infrastructure development, maintenance and planning, and AfriForum are insisting that Malema benefited illegally from their operations.
Advocate Gerrie Nel, head of AfriForum’s private prosecution unit, announced today that a mandamus application on the National Prosecuting Authority. For those not up-to-date with their legal jargon, that term simply means it will force the NPA’s hand and compel them to make a decision on the matter sooner, rather than later.
Gerrie Nel fumes at the NPA
However, AfriForum are quite upset with the length of time the NPA want to consider the case. A deadline of 20 July 2020 has been set for the application to be heard. That’s an eight-month waiting period, and needless to say, the senior structures of the group – including Gerrie Nel – aren’t best pleased with the decision, despite Thursday’s legal victory.
“The facts surrounding this matter have not changed, but the political landscape has. We do not want to embarrass the NPA, but our reasonable requests, letters, follow-up inquiries and warnings did not elicit a significant response from the NPA. It’s problematic that it must take so long to get this case put on the roll.”
“By hearing the case for more than eight months, the court defeats the purpose of a mandamus application, as we merely want to compel the NPA to take a decision on the prosecution of Julius Malema. This is a decision that is long-overdue and it raises questions about the NPA’s reluctance to take action against him.”
Gerrie Nel
EFF latest: Court cases pile up for Julius Malema
Meanwhile, Julius Malema has quite the schedule on Thursday. As well as AfriForum turning up the heat, the EFF leader is squaring-off against Pravin Gordhan in a hate speech case. The minister feels he is the victim of hate speech, after the CIC branded him “a dog” and an “agent of white monopoly capital”.
Malema may be feeling confident though – the court ruled in his favour against Sanef during yet another one of his hate speech trials. But November promises to be a tricky month. The firebrand politician is facing an assault trial (20 November) and charges of unlawfully using a firearm (27 November).
