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The Pietermaritzburg-based rights organization, the South African Movement for Equal Minority Rights (Samrem), has brought criminal charges against EFF leader Julius Malema for his statements against the police.
POLITICS
The district attorney has criticized Police Minister Bheki Cele for failing to take “strong and decisive” action against EFF leader Julius Malema.
Malema sparked outrage and fierce debate this week after he told EFF supporters in Mohokare in the Free State that they should take action against the police for abusing them in the recent anti-racism protests in Senekal in the Free State and Brackenfell in Cape Town.
“If the SA police want a fight, they should declare it. We will treat them the same way we treated them in the 1980s; We will not only fight them in the pickets, but we will also go to their homes and fight them in their own homes with their own families, ”Malema said.
Read: Police Minister and Popcru warn Malema against threats to law enforcement officers
The district attorney’s shadow police minister, Andrew Whitfield, said the ANC government appeared terrified of acting against Malema, despite “numerous incidents of incitement, threats, and violent rhetoric towards citizens, businesses and now the state”.
“Minister Cele must turn his words into action and press charges against Malema. If you’re afraid to do it, the district attorney will do it, ”Whitfield said.
“We cannot stand by and allow the working members of SAPS and their families to be threatened in this way. Our police officers and policewomen deserve better. “
He said Cele’s condemnation of Malema’s comments sounds hollow if not followed by decisive action.
“Firm and decisive steps must be taken to assure our men and women in blue and their families that their minister is on their side, not on the side of the EFF and its leader. It has been more than 48 hours since Malema issued his threat and the minister has done nothing, “said Whitfield.
On Wednesday afternoon, the civil rights organization AfriForum and the Solidarity union said they would pursue criminal charges of defamation, conspiracy to incite violence and assault against Malema.
The union said that more than 1,000 police officers had approached them to express concern over Malema’s comments.
“Solidarity has been flooded by police officers from all over the country who express their shock, dismay and total disgust at Malema’s words and threats. It is unacceptable for a political leader who has sworn to honor and abide by the Constitution and other laws of the land to rage against the police in such a violent way, ”said Renate Barnard of Solidarity.
Read: Thuli Madonsela on Zuma, EFF, DA and ANC
AfriForum’s head of policy and action, Ernst Roets, said it was clear that Malema believed he was above the law.
“The reason Malema has been making these statements is that, thus far, there have been no consequences for all the previous incidents in which he openly incited violence. If the police do not take this matter seriously enough, Malema will see it as confirmation that it is above the law, ”he said.
AfriForum’s private prosecution unit said it would monitor the matter to ensure justice was served.
“If Malema is not prosecuted by the National Prosecutor’s Office, the private prosecution unit will prosecute him,” said Roets.
In response to Malema, Cele expressed her anger at the EFF leader’s remarks. He said Malema had “crossed the line” and that his threats would not be taken lightly.
In a second statement, issued Wednesday, Cele reiterated that there would be consequences for anyone who acted on threats against police officers or their families.
Cele asked members of the police to protect themselves, saying that the police were more than capable of defending themselves, should they come under attack.
However, Whitfield said the remarks were not enough to defuse the situation.
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