The Equality Court sitting at the high court in Pretoria on Tuesday reserved judgment in the matter between the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema and the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef).
Sanef and journalists Barry Bateman from Eyewitness News, Pauli van Wyk of the Daily Maverick, Adriaan Basson from News24, veteran journalist Max du Preez as well as Ranjeni Munusamy from the Sunday Times, have asked the court to interdict Malema and his supporters from intimidating journalists on public and social media platforms. They claim Malema was engaging in hate speech.
The forum also wants the court to order the EFF to publicly apologise to journalists listed as complainants in the case. Advocate Daniel Burger, for Sanef, said the EFF and Malema have created an environment that is hostile towards journalists.
Berger said Malema’s words were intimidating and also a call to violence
He argued that Malema, as a leader, had to know that what he says has consequences and sets a precedent for his followers.
Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, for Malema, has defended his clients by claiming that “no reasonable person” would take Malema’s rhetoric seriously.
He argued that the EFF has always been vocal about non-violence, and he warned the courts against stripping the party and its leaders of freedom of speech.
You might also like…Fikile Mbalula went on vacation paid for by dirty money says AfriForum
Lobby group Afriforum on Tuesday said it has laid criminal charges against Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula over his 2017 family trip to Dubai, allegedly paid for by a government supplier of sport products.
“AfriForum requested the Public Protector [Busisiwe Mkhwebane] in 2017 to investigate the trip. She found that Mbalula had violated the Constitution and other legislation in this regard. She further ordered the National Prosecuting Authority to launch an investigation into whether the funds used to pay for the trip had been proceeds from money laundering or not. However, the NPA has yet to take steps against Mbalula,” said Monique Taute, head of AfriForum’s anti-corruption unit…Read more here
Source: IOL
