AfriForum investigates complaints against Lamola

AfriForum will obtain recordings of the news conference held yesterday by the ANC Youth League's Vice President, Ronald Lamola, during which he threatened farmers to cooperate with land reform programmes or else to face the risk of violent land occupation actions (see M&G Online report).

Parts of the news conference were broadcasted last night during, amongst others, the Afrikaans news bulletin of e-TV on kykNET.  According to AfriForum's legal representative, Willie Spies, Lamola's statements not only amount to hate speech, but also fall within the definitions of the even more serious offences of intimidation and incitement to violence.

Lamola specifically referred to, amongst others, "the Van Tonders and the Van der Merwes on farms" and warned that their safety cannot be guaranteed.

AfriForum intends to lay charges against Lamola at both the Equality Court and the Police in order to ensure that inciting statements of this nature are called to order.  More details will follow soon.

Statement issued by Willie Spies, Legal Representative: AfriForum, June 6 2012

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