Police minister says Malema must lay charges against cops he claims harassed him

4 April 2016

Johannesburg - Police Minister Nathi Nhleko on Monday called on EFF leader Julius Malema to lay charges against the police who he claimed had harassed him, instead of simply posting it on social media.

"I appeal to all leaders – political, business, traditional or even church leaders to show leadership and desist from making innuendos without following up with necessary action so that all complaints will be dealt with," Nhleko said in a statement. 

"It serves no purpose, but to delegitimise the police, to cast aspersions like this without the necessary details and action to enable us to get to the bottom of such complaints." 

Nhleko encouraged Malema to report the matter to both the police and the police watchdog, IPID. 

"It would help the police immensely if Mr Malema were to report the incident – and other incidents referred to by the EFF spokesperson so that these could be investigated thoroughly," he said. 

"It does not serve any purpose to accuse police without opening the necessary complaint to allow the police to fully investigate these complaints. If any of the members were to be found to have acted or are acting outside of the SAPS Code of Conduct, I would urge the Acting National Commissioner to take necessary action against those members as soon as possible."

According to the EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, Malema was stopped by a white unmarked van at the Grayston Drive offramp on Sunday night, and was then surrounded by around 10 police vehicles.

"The police then all came out pointing guns at his car and forced him out. The entire intersection at the Grayston Drive offramp was blocked, isolating him from the rest of the traffic," Ndlozi said.

"The CIC [commander-in-chief] Julius Malema got out and the police all did nothing, claiming it was a mistake. He forced his way around the police cars, driving over the pavements and drove off," Ndlozi said.

Malema had been travelling from Soweto where he had attended the party's manifesto launch preparatory meeting. Ndlozi said he believed Malema had been followed from the meeting.

Ndlozi could not immediately be reached to comment on whether Malema was planning to lay charges. 

This article first appeared News24, see here.