AfriForum asks SAPS to investigate Malema over farm murders

AfriForum has made a formal application to the national police commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, to investigate Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema.

This comes after allegations from a member of a prison gang were received, saying that Malema approached and spoke to the gang member about farm murders.

In a recorded interview with a member of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and a member of the 28s prison gang, the man claimed Malema promised to help him continue killing farmers when he was released from prison, and that he would ensure that the gang members had balaclavas, weapons and money to carry out their farm murders.

The interview formed part of a Carte Blanche investigation last year.

READ MORE: AfriForum wants Malema investigated for ‘role’ in farm murders

AfriForum also referred to these claims against Malema at the launch of their book, Kill The Boer, authored by the group’s deputy CEO, Ernst Roets, in June.

The book paints a picture of white farmers who have been subjected to widespread vilification and politically led vitriol. In the chapter Zeitgeist, Roets concludes that white farmers are unfairly associated with depravity and brutality, a sentiment encapsulated in the chant “kill the farmer, kill the Boer”.

Roets acknowledged possible challenges with the investigation of such a complaint.

“However, considering the high frequency of farm attacks and farm murders, we submit that it is in the public’s interest for these allegations to be taken seriously,” he said. A copy of the book Kill the Boer was also provided to the national police commissioner for further context on the matter.

After the issue was flagged by Carte Blanche and again in Kill the Boer, no further investigation was launched.

People took to Twitter earlier this year, alleging that Malema was in fact organising farm murders, to which he answered “maybe, maybe not”. This prompted Roets to push the investigation against Malema, and that such an investigation would be in the public’s interest.

Roets added that the allegations against Malema were serious, especially because he did nothing to deny the allegation of orchestrating farm murders. This was why the issue needed to be followed up by the national police commissioner, he said.

Malema has since received much criticism on Twitter, with users calling for him to have his day in court. He simply responded “Stop irritating us and make a case.”

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