‘Empty publicity stunt’, says EFF after DA plan to lay charge against Malema

The EFF has rejected the DA’s plan to lay criminal charges against Julius Malema, saying the move was a “publicity stunt”.

“The DA’s plan to report the commander-in-chief, Julius Malema, and EFF Member of Parliament Nazier Paulsen with a frivolous charge of incitement of violence is nothing but an empty publicity stunt, one they could not do against the hooligans at Senekal or any perpetrators of racism,” the party’s spokesperson, Delisile Ngwenya, said on Sunday.

Ngwenya added the move from the DA was a waste of time.

Read more: DA lays criminal charges against Malema and Paulsen over ‘fighters attack!’ tweets

“We reject it as a waste of the precious time of law enforcement which could be better spent fighting gender-based violence, not entertaining the DA’s pathetic attempt at courting the sympathies of right-wing elements in this country.”

Machine gun tweets

Ngwenya said Malema did not incite violence at any stage.

“The call to defend the Constitution, our judiciary and state property from those who think they are above the law is one that we are committed to. Nothing will detract the EFF from that.”

READ MORE: DA ‘gunning’ for Malema, EFF MP over tweets

The DA said it would lay criminal charges against Malema and Paulsen over recent social media posts which appeared to incite violence.

The party added a tweet by Malema to EFF members to “attack” and one by Paulsen with a picture of a gun was an attempt to incite violence.

Last week, violent protests erupted in Senekal during the court appearance of two men accused of murdering farm manager Brendin Horner.

The DA also urged Parliament’s Ethics Committee to investigate the EFF duo, alleging the tweet went against the MPs’ oath of office.

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