Malema tells CNN AfriForum doesn’t want to be ‘equal to monkeys’

In an exclusive CNN report looking into the issue of land in South Africa, looking mainly at far right organisation Suidlanders but also focusing on lobby group AfriForum, EFF leader Julius Malema was confronted on whether his rhetoric “plays into the hands” of AfriForum.

Malema denied this, adding that he believed the lobby group hated him “for speaking equality”.

He continued, saying “they cannot imagine themselves being equal to monkeys”.

Malema was confronted by CNN over comments made earlier this year on Turkish television channel TRT World. He told the interviewer he had not called for the murder of white people – “at least for now”.

READ MORE: CNN reports that SA’s ‘white genocide’ brigade is preparing for a ‘race war’

He responded to CNN’s questions by making a similar statement: “No, no, I said I am not calling for the slaughter of white people, for now. I will not be responsible for the future. I don’t know what will be happening in the future.”

The CNN report looks mainly into whether the South African right may have influenced US President Donald Trump on land.

The Citizen reported on Thursday that CNN also conducted an exclusive interview with president Cyril Ramaphosa.

The report can be read here.

Tensions between the EFF and AfriForum have been rising following a series of court battles between them.

The Citizen reported last week that AfriForum had announced that the EFF and Malema had partially obeyed a court order and paid an amount of R126,703.59 into its account. Malema, however, accused AfriForum of “lying” about the payments.

The money was owed following a punitive costs order AfriForum won against Malema and EFF in September 2017.

READ MORE: AfriForum may attempt to have EFF, Malema declared bankrupt

AfriForum obtained an interdict to prevent the EFF from inciting people to occupy land illegally.

Later in the same week, the EFF was unable to stop a pending public auction of their assets after the sheriff attached office equipment on behalf of AfriForum.

The lobby group’s application to send Malema to jail for six months and fine him R500,000 for ignoring a court order interdicting them from inciting illegal land invasions, however, was struck from the court roll.

Then, over the past weekend, AfriForum said they were considering attempting to have both Malema and his party declared bankrupt in an effort to squeeze out the last of the legal costs the party still owes AfriForum.

(Additional reporting by Amanda Watson, Vhahangwele Nemakonde, and Ilse de Lange)

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