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Julius Malema has made comments against SAPS.
- The EFF leader threatened police officers while speaking to supporters in Free State on Sunday.
- Malema said: “If the South African police want a fight, they must declare it.”
- Cele has asked the police officers to protect themselves, if necessary.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says that statements made by EFF leader Julius Malema over the weekend against SAPS members will not be taken lightly.
On Monday Cele said that she had noted with disgust Malema’s “reckless, irresponsible and dangerous” statements while addressing her supporters over the weekend. Cele said Malema’s statements clearly encouraged violence against SAPS members and their families.
READ | Cape Town pursues EFF for damages during Brackenfell protest
“I think the leader of the EFF has crossed the line, you are not going to threaten the police and you think they will just sit back. The work of the police is clear and is prescribed in the Constitution, which is to protect, prevent, combat and investigate the crime.
“The police are also there to defend and enforce the law, so no one has the right to threaten the police when they do their job,” Cele said.
The minister has asked the police to protect themselves, adding that he is confident that, if necessary, they will be “more than capable of defending themselves, should they come under attack.”
Cele said:
“Threat to the lives of members of the police and their families will not be tolerated, law enforcement officers should never be used as bait for political mileage.”
Addressing his supporters at Mohokare Municpality in the Free State on Sunday, Malema said they were not afraid of the police and called them “cowards.” He said “they” would come for them, adding that their uniform gave them superiority.
The leader said the party would continue to persecute racists everywhere.
Collided
Malema’s statements against the police came after they clashed with EFF members protesting in Brackenfell, Cape Town, on Friday.
Police used stun grenades, tear gas and water cannons to disperse hundreds of EFF protesters on the streets of Brackenfell, News24 reported.
Supporters marched to Brackenfell High School to protest a private tuition party reportedly only attended by white students.
Malema said: “Yes [the] The South African police want a fight, they must declare it. We will treat them the same way we treated them in the 80s (80s). We will not only fight them in the pickets, we will go to their homes and we will fight them in their homes with their own families. We are not afraid of the police.
“We will go for you one by one in [sic] your own comfort zone. We will teach them that no one can defeat the power of the masses. Not a policeman, not a police state, not a military state … “.
