Another charge laid against Malema

AFRIFORUM is a bored and lacklustre organisation that is exhausting the justice system’s resources, EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said yesterday.

The MP was reacting after the civil rights organisation laid charges against EFF president Julius Malema, for incitement to grab land.

The organisation laid charges against Malema for allegedly inciting people to take over white people’s land during the party’s 4th birthday celebrations in KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend.

AfriForum was laying its second charge of inciting and instigating violence against the outspoken leader, at the Lyttelton Police Station.

But Ndlozi said the organisation was desperately trying to remain relevant in the changing political landscape.

“They must seriously get a life. How many times can they lay the same charge? They are being redundant and inessential,” he said.

According to the organisation, Malema took the following standpoint during his speech during the birthday celebrations.

“If you don’t have a piece of land, you are a coward. Go and identify a piece of land anywhere you like. That is your land. In my ward in Seshego, we did that. The owner came and said he had been listening and we could take half. If you don’t listen you will lose the whole land. White land owners must share land,” Malema had said.

AfriForum deputy chief executive Ernst Roets said in terms of the Trespass Act, it was illegal to occupy land without the consent of the owner or person in charge of the land.

Roets requested the police to investigate the matter without delay. AfriForum requested the police to provide feedback on a regular basis and also offered any assistance the organisation may be able to provide.

Lyttelton Police Station subsequently opened an inquiry docket.

According to Roets, the last straw that broke the camel’s back was when Malema said “people who are not prepared to do so are cowards. He went a step further this time”.

“Basically what he is saying is if you don’t want to be a coward and are an EFF supporter then you must break into white peoples’ property,” said Roets.

The organisation was concerned that Malema was actively inciting criminal behaviour. “If there are political issues that need to be resolved, that must be dealt with in a political manner. He is encouraging people to break the law to further his political agenda,” he said.

Malema is embroiled in a court case after being charged under the Riotous Assemblies Act for two incidents that took place in Bloemfontein in 2014, and in Newcastle this year.

He faces two charges relating to land-grabs; the first based on comments made in 2014, when he told supporters that they should occupy land in their respective branches.

The second relates to comments made in June 2016, in which he said white people could not hold any claim to land in South Africa and that black people should not be ashamed of occupying the land illegally.