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EFF leader Julius Malema and party spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi are scheduled to appear in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court tomorrow on charges of assault against a white policeman who allegedly tried to deny them access during struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional communications manager, Phini Louw-Mjonondwana confirmed to City Press on Tuesday that the matter was on the court roll and was scheduled for tomorrow.
Malema and Ndlozi allegedly assaulted the senior policeman, who was in uniform, on April 2018. The incident that was recorded on closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
The senior policeman laid a charge with the police, but according to lobby group AfriForum, the case didn’t receive any attention until the group’s private prosecution unit “made some enquiries about the investigation in January 2019”.
In September, an unrepentant Malema accused both the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of grandstanding and acting like proxies for AfriForum and the ANC.
“They are pleasing the real people behind these charges – AfriForum. This was also the case last week; the NPA made a show about how they were charging me and EFF national spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi only for them to give us a call today and say the file in its current state was not ready to take to court,” said Malema.
He went on to acknowledge that the incident in question – where they alleged that he and Ndlozi had assaulted a white policeman who was trying to deny them access during the struggle icon’s funeral – had indeed taken place.
“A white Afrikaner man refused to allow me to go to the graveside. They are charging me for common assault. But there was no one who was going to stop me from burying Mama Winnie. I wish I had really assaulted him and given him a serious case to report. That white man ought to be grateful that we did not go to extremes,” said a visibly infuriated Malema.
Tender fraud
On Monday, AfriForum revealed that the NPA had responded to them confirming that while it will be prosecuting On Point Engineering for tender fraud, Malema would not be hauled to court.
Malema’s Ratanang Family Trust was believed to be an indirect shareholder in On Point.
On Point Engineering stands accused of defrauding the Limpopo roads and transport department to the tune of R52 million.
In a case that fell off the court roll back in 2015, after one of the co-accused fell ill.
The state accused Malema of having used money from an On Point Engineering tender to buy a farm and a Mercedes Benz.
According to the NPA, Malema and Ratanang may still be prosecuted, with the outcome of the On Point Engineering case set to determine whether or not the EFF leader will be dragged to court.
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