Niehaus opens case after death threats: ‘He messed with the wrong man’

EFF MP Carl Niehaus has opened a police case against Leon Johan Koekemoer, the leader of the right-wing group Delta, for alleged death threats against him.

The death threats were allegedly made on Koekemoer’s Facebook page this week.

In the post, Koekemoer allegedly called for Niehaus to be assassinated for his and the EFF’s “attack on white South Africans, farmers and racism”.

‘Death threats’

Niehaus said he has opened a case against Koekemoer.

“His white racist followers now agreed on Facebook that I should be assassinated, and no less than 538 responded to his mad, bloodthirsty call, using the most vile racist language to support his criminal call for my assassination.”

“Yesterday afternoon, I opened an urgent case against Koekemoer and his co-conspirators at the Cape Town Central Police Station at 28 Buitekant Street. I will not be threatened or intimidated by Koekemoer, or for that matter anyone else,” Niehaus said.

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‘Messing with the wrong man’

Niehaus said Koekemoer “is going to find out that he has now messed with the wrong man.”

“I will not rest until he is in prison, where a racist like him belongs. People like this make me even more determined to fight these ‘Boere’/‘Afrikaner’ racists to the hilt. I will continue to denounce them and NEVER give them an inch!”

Leon Johan Koekemoer (Facebook address: (https://t.co/XXU1NsUvFi) a racist white supremacist rightwing so-called ‘Boer’, posted death threats against me on his Facebook page. He is the leader of a right-wing paramilitary group called ‘Delta’, and is a former Special Forces member… pic.twitter.com/MuSlVuupzJ

— Carl Niehaus (@niehaus_carl) February 21, 2025

The EFF has condemned what it called the “despicable and barbaric death threats” issued against Niehaus.

“Koekemoer, a former member of the Boeremag, has a well-documented history of extreme right-wing activities and terrorist inclinations. His call for the assassination of an EFF member is not an isolated incident but rather a reflection of the dangerous and racist faction of South African society hell-bent on reigniting the flames of hatred and white supremacy that the EFF stands resolutely opposed to.”

“The EFF is closely monitoring the case, and we demand that the authorities treat these death threats with the utmost seriousness. It is unacceptable that individuals like Koekemoer, who openly advocate for violence and murder, are allowed to propagate such dangerous ideologies in the public sphere without facing consequences,” the EFF said.

No retreat

While The Citizen did contact Koekemoer on Facebook Messenger for comment, he did not respond to any requests.

However, he did share a post on his Facebook page after Niehaus opened a case against him.

“Media has been contacting me about Carl Niehaus’s post and charges against me. Well, whatever happens, we are not standing one step back against his and the EFF’s attack on the white man and the farmer – racism!”

“Let’s talk about his and EFF’s hatred of the white man, inciting violence and murder of the white man and the farmer, and then, of course, black-on-white racism! He may possibly be scared; I don’t know why! But I fear no man; I bow before our Heavenly Father alone!”

Niehaus is no stranger to controversy.

‘Kick the dog’

In November 2022, the suspended uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson called for action to be taken against journalist Karyn Maughan, hurling insults at her on social media.

Niehaus was responding to an article that Maughan shared on X (formally Twitter).

“Suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane tried to compare herself to a victim of domestic violence in her efforts to further delay the parliamentary investigation into her fitness to hold office – but the inquiry’s chairperson didn’t buy it,” she tweeted.

This sent Niehaus off the rails.

“Eish, Karyn Maughan, you are at it again? You haven’t learnt your lesson yet? You are a slow learner. We must keep on kicking this dog harder so that her owner, who pays her, comes out”, Niehaus tweeted.

ALSO READ: Carl Niehaus tries to explain away ‘kick this dog’ tweet aimed at Karyn Maughan

Explanation

A few days later, Niehaus responded to The Citizen’s story, trying to explain away his “kick this dog” tweet about Maughan.

In a WhatsApp message to The Citizen, Niehaus said he responded by referencing “the well-known, centuries-old English saying, ‘Kick the dog until the owner comes out’.”

“Obviously, this was used figuratively and not literally. If I use another well-known English saying/phrase stating that ‘Journalism has gone to the dogs’, are you now going to say that I am calling you a dog? Surely not.”

Niehaus continued in his response to say his comments being tantamount to gender-based violence was “disingenuous, malicious and a deliberate miss-representation (sic).”

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