POLITICS

Malema’s racial hate must not be tolerated any further – Pieter Groenewald

FF Plus leader says such inflammatory statements are not included under right to freedom of speech

Malema must no longer get away with incitement to violence and racial hate

21 October 2022

Julius Malema's constant calls for violence and even murder, and his incitement of racial hate must no longer be tolerated.

The FF Plus lodged a complaint about Malema's most recent statements with the Human Rights Commission (HRC). It is being investigated.

His call on EFF members at the party's recent provincial election conference to "attend to" a white man who had allegedly assaulted EFF members at a school is inflammatory and disgusting.

Malema spouted various obscenities during his speech at the conference.

He, among other things, criticised his supporters for not dealing with the "white man", who can apparently be identified.

He told them to take the man to an isolated space and added that a "revolutionary" must not be "scared to kill".

Such inflammatory statements are not included under Section 16 of the Constitution's Bill of Rights, namely, the right to freedom of speech.

On the contrary, incitement to violence is explicitly excluded from this freedom and must be duly prosecuted.

The FF Plus will not allow the incitement of violence against any group in South Africa, especially not minorities.

The FF Plus, therefore, lodged a complaint against Malema with the HRC. The HRC confirmed receipt of the complaint and confirmed that the Commission has already launched an investigation of its own accord.

The party will also lodge a criminal complaint of incitement to violence with the police.

The ANC's failure to take action against Malema and the EFF, while he is basically committing high treason right under their noses with remarks like the EFF must take over power by any means possible, is equally alarming.

Decisive action must be taken against this unconstitutional and unacceptable conduct. It has no place in a constitutional democracy.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 21 October 2022