Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema on Monday accused Free State Premier Ace Magashule of sending police to arrest him so that he could spend a night in a Bloemfontein jail.

Malema told EFF supporters gathered outside the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court that his driver was arrested earlier, not him, as reported by police.

“Media said I was arrested. How was I speeding when I do not have a car? Which car do I drive? If Magashule sent out his dogs to catch me, they have been defeated, bana ba baloi [witches]. They will never do anything to me…I was stopped everywhere by uniformed police officers, they were disappointed when they realised I wasn’t driving. They communicated lies that I was arrested,” Malema said.

He said the country was run by a “a group of clowns” and that he was steps ahead of them.

“Once more I have defeated you, because you are a group of clowns. You do not know how to strategise or catch an enemy. I am always two steps ahead of you,” he said to loud cheers.

Malema’s driver was nabbed for allegedly driving at 187km per hour while en route to the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court.

The EFF leader made a brief appearance in court to face incitement charges. The State said he allegedly violated the Riotous Assemblies Act of 1956 by calling on people to occupy vacant land.

Malema is arguing that the apartheid-era law was illegal and therefore his charges were unconstitutional. He lodged an application in the North Gauteng High Court to challenge the constitutionality of the Act and the charges.

He then repeated the land invasion call to supporters gathered outside court in Bloemfontein.

“Whenever you see beautiful piece of land and you like it…occupy it, it belongs to you. It is the land of your forefathers taken from us through force and genocide.”

Magistrate Mziwonke Hinxa postponed the case to June next year, pending Malema’s high court application.