TAKE THAT Forum ‘trying to defend Gordhan’
MALEMA: CASTS ASPERSIONS ON JUNIOR COUNSEL
Judgment reserved in bid to interdict EFF from harassing media.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema took to Twitter to address the media at the Equality Court following a two-day case which saw the SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) and five journalists seeking to interdict the EFF from intimidating, harassing, or assaulting members of the media.
In a video, Malema expressed the view that Sanef was only being used in the case to defend
Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan and cast aspersions on the legal abilities of advocate Daniel Berger, who represented Sanef.
“Sanef brought a junior counsel here and I’m considering giving him an opportunity in the next [EFF] case to redeem himself,” Malema said.
On Tuesday in court, advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, acting for the EFF, brought up a tweet by Andile Mngxitama of Black First Land First, arguing that the backlash it caused was wrongly attributed to Malema and the EFF.
Sanef chair Mahlatse Mahlase said on Tuesday the organisation was confident of winning the case, and had successfully shown a direct link between utterances by Malema outside the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture last year and threats and attacks which followed, from EFF supporters on Twitter.
In November, Malema told supporters to “cut the head” of the enemy.
“Let’s attack, let’s occupy every street, every house; every space in society. Let us not leave the enemy to chance. Where we meet the enemy, we must crush the enemy. On Facebook, Twitter, social media, be there, guard the revolution. When the enemy raises its ugly head, don’t hit the head, cut the head,” he said at the time.
Later, in the same speech, he did, however, call on his followers not to show violence towards journalists he named.
Judgment has been reserved.
Brig-Gen Mafi Mgobozi SANDF spokesperson
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