‘Racist’ seeks plea bargain

The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) case against Adam Catzavelos for using the k-word in a video has been postponed to December 5 for a plea bargain.

Catzavelos’ lawyer Lawley Shain revealed that his client intended to enter into a plea bargain with the state, pending an agreement.

“We want to finalise the case and we are entering into a plea bargain, which we are negotiating now. Hopefully this case will be finalised by December 5,” he said.

The matter was previously postponed for Catzavelos’ legal team to make representations to the national director of public prosecutions.

The prosecutor revealed during proceedings in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday that the representations had been unsuccessful.

The video Catzavelos recorded on a beach in Greece last year went viral, sparking widespread condemnation. Catzavelos made racist comments about the lack of black people in his surroundings. In the clip he is heard saying: “Not one k **** r in sight, f**king heaven on earth ... You cannot beat this.”

The video caused an uproar, prompting the EFF in Gauteng to open a case of crimen injuria against him.

The EFF’s Gauteng chairperson Mandisa Mashego previously said the political party was satisfied that the National Prosecuting Authority was pulling its weight and that the matter was before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.

Catzavelos reached an agreement with the South African Human Rights Commission pending its case in the Equality Court over a charge relating to the same matter on August 29.

He agreed to pay R150 000 over a period of 30 months and apologise for his comments in the viral video, News24 reported.

– News24 Wire