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After AfriForum and thousands of its members submitted complaints to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), this civil rights organisation will keep a watchful eye on the case to make sure that the EFF leader Julius Malema is dragged before the Equality Court by the SAHRC over statements that the SAHRC declared as hate speech and incitement to violence. The SAHRC on 8 November gave Malema written notice to retract the statements within ten days and to apologise for it. Should Malema not do this, the SAHRC stated that it would take Malema to the Equality Court to obtain an interim interdict. However, in the meantime, Malema and the EFF have attacked the SAHRC in a media statement and said they refuse to withdraw the comments which the SAHRC labelled as hate speech.

AfriForum submitted complaints to the SAHRC in October 2022 following Malema’s statements at the EFF’s provincial meeting in the Western Cape. Among other things, Malema at the event said: “You must never be afraid to kill, a revolution requires killing at some point because killing is part of the revolutionary act.” In conjunction with the complaints, AfriForum asked its more than 310 000 members to also send complaints to the SAHRC via the organisation’s website.

“Malema and the EFF believe that they are above the law. This is largely due to Malema and the EFF getting away with escalating levels of hate speech and incitement to violence over the years,” says Ernst van Zyl, Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content at AfriForum.

Malema and the EFF believe that they are above the law. This is largely due to Malema and the EFF getting away with escalating levels of hate speech and incitement to violence over the years

“The SAHRC has given their word that they will take Malema to the Equality Court if he does not respond to their demands within ten days. Malema and the EFF have made it clear that they do not concern themselves with the SAHRC’s demands, therefore, the SAHRC must now keep their promise. AfriForum will keep a watchful eye on this matter,” concludes Van Zyl.

Issued by AfriForum