Malema faces criminal charges

BUSINESS rights watchdog AfriBusiness yesterday laid criminal charges against EFF leader Julius Malema for allegedly inciting violence.

Organisation spokesman Stefan Pieterse said it was prompted to lay charges after Malema warned at a media conference in Johannesburg on Thursday that businesses in Pretoria should close on November 2 as violence may erupt when Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has to appear in court.

Malema allegedly said military action might be necessary and the EFF could not guarantee the safety of businesses in Pretoria on that day. “During a media briefing at Braamfontein, the leader of the EFF Mr Julius Malema incited the public to violence.

“He told the media that Pretoria will shut down on November 2 and told business owners in Pretoria to not come to work because it will be dangerous,” Pieterse said outside the Lyttelton police station moments after laying criminal charges against Malema.

“He said that militant action will be needed for the ANC to listen and this conduct is unacceptable – it’s criminal. Mr Malema is nobody to declare November 2 as a public holiday. He does not have authority.”

The business watchdog laid four charges of incitement to public violence, incitement to public violence and injury, incitement to either commit criminal assault or qualified form of assault and intimidation in contravention of section one of the Intimidation Act.

Pieterse said they were acting on behalf of 7 220 members affiliated to AfriBusiness, whose responsibility it was to ensure their security.

“We are mandated to look out for our members so we will get private security on standby on November 2.

“We want businesses to be opened. It is with tax money that businesses pay for people like Mr Malema to get their salaries,” he said.