FF PLUS LAYS CHARGE AGAINST MALEMA FOR HATE SPEECH

Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus leader and deputy minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, today formally laid a criminal charge against Mr. Julius Malema in terms of section 16 of the Constitution of South Africa in terms of which he has made himself guilty of hate speech.

The reason for the charge is that Mr. Malema on 9 March 2010, during an ANCYL meeting at the University of Johannesburg 's Doornfontein campus repeatedly sang and chanted the slogan "Kill the boer, kill the farmer" (see here).

As the South African Human Rights Commission on 17 July 2003 had classified the slogan "Kill the boer, kill the farmer" as hate speech, Mr. Malema is in contravention of section 16(2)(c) of the Constitution of South Africa. In terms of this section, no person may advocate hate which is based on the grounds of race, ethnicity, gender or religion and which incites action to cause harm to others.

The FF Plus is convinced that Mr. Malema, with this action advocated and incited hatred which could cause harm to citizens and makes himself guilty of the advocating of hate speech and the FF Plus demands that the SAPS investigates the case and take action.

The Minister of Police, Mr. Nathi Mthethwa, on 8 March 2010 at a conference on farm safety which was hosted by AgriSA, made certain announcements to farmers to assist with the security of farms and to attempt to reduce the number of farm murders. Mr. Malema's use of the hate speech slogan creates the opposite atmosphere.

Statement issued by Dr Pieter Mulder, MP, Freedom Front Plus leader, March 10 2010

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