DA to lay charges against EFF for incitement of violence

29 February 2016

The Democratic Alliance, led by Yusuf Cassim MP, will be laying criminal charges against the EFF for inciting violence on campuses. The group has, over the last week, been using violent and racially divisive language to communicate with students. The charge relates particularly to a post by an EFF Youth Command leader, Omphile Seleke, on Facebook, which detailed the steps to make a petrol bomb. This post was subsequently retweeted by the EFF Student Command at the University of Pretoria. 

Incendiary and inciting public statements such as this are a cause of great concern and should be viewed as a serious offence, especially after the events that unfolded last week at the University of Pretoria, University of the Free State and North West University’s Mafikeng Campus.

To date, the EFF leadership have yet to address this matter and it seems that they are simply turning a blind eye. This is not the first of such post which has contained divisive and incendiary language. 

The DA will also be laying a complaint at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for the comments made by Mr Seleke. Political parties, and their representatives, must not be allowed to incite violence, particularly when violence has already left a number of people injured, destroyed property and disrupted the academic year indefinitely for many young South Africans. 

What students need most now is to be supported and motivated to peacefully engage in dialogue with other student bodies and their respective institutions of higher learning to find the much- needed sustainable solutions to the problems plaguing campuses across South Africa. 

Statement issued by Yusuf Cassim MP, DASO Leader, 29 February 2016