EFF leader Julius Malema has accused the State of pursuing him unnecessarily and wasting its resourcing over a weak case inspired by an AfriForum’s “racist agenda” which wants him found guilty at all costs.
Malema, who has appeared alongside his bodyguard Adriaan Snyman at the East London Magistrate’s Court over the discharge of a firearm during the party’s 5th anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane in 2018, told members of the media following his cross-examination by the State prosecutor that he was innocent as he had not fired a real gun but a toy gun.
“We hope that the court now that it has heard my version, will arrive at a proper conclusion. AfriForum is threatened by a black man. Once you advocate for Africans to be equal to the white man, you become the enemy of AfriForum which seeks to defend and protect white privilege. That is why at every turn, when they get an opportunity to discredit the leadership of the EFF, they do so even when they have no evidence,” he said.
Malema and his bodyguard have pleaded not guilty to several charges under the Firearms Control Act. The pair faces charges include of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and contravening the Firearms Control Act12.
They are accused of discharging a firearm during an event that took place at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in 2018.
During his cross-examination on Thursday, Malema said the gun that is alleged to have been fired by him was a toy gun, adding that as an African child, he received his training firing wooden guns.
“I was trained to use firearms at the age of nine when I was part of the young pioneers know as the Masupa Tsela of Walter Sisulu. At that age, we were taught through the use of wooden guns but we have since graduated to use real the stuff, meaning real guns in the Struggle against apartheid,“ he said.
On the stand, Malema said the case against him was nothing but a witchhunt aimed at tarnishing his reputation and wasting the resources of the State and his, as he has had to defend himself for six years over a weak case.
“You brought me wrongly here - either you want to build your career using my name and destroy the future of my children and my wife. I possess a toy. It requires no license. You brought me here for six years for no issue. I am not being disrespectful. I am being honest.
“No one can associate me with any wrongdoing. I cannot regret having done nothing wrong. I possessed a toy, and it requires nobody’s permission for me to use it at any time,“ he added.
Reacting to the case and the proceedings, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said the case has been handled in a fair manner.
“At the beginning of the case, we made it clear that we prosecute without any fear, favour or prejudice. Here, someone who is a citizen of South Africa exercised their right to open a case when they feel that a crime has been committed, and the police had a duty to follow that up when they came with the evidence to the NPA and then we had to make a decision based on the evidence that has been presented in court,” said Tyali.
Malema has completed his evidence, with his advocate, Laurance Hodes, saying that the defence would not be calling any more witnesses with the court now set to begin preparing its closing arguments.
The matter was postponed to November 1.
The Star