The African National Congress (ANC) said on Friday it was concerned about the launching of a campaign against its youth league president, Julius Malema, by the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
“The campaign is meant to incite the South African populace, particularly the Afrikaner community, against the president of the youth league.
“It poses a danger to the personal safety and security of [Comrade] Malema,” ANC spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said in a statement.
“As the ANC, we draw the conclusion that it is meant to incite, instigate and mobilise some people to harm and even lead to the execution of the ANC Youth League president,” he said.
The FF+ launched a “Prosecute Malema” campaign on Thursday, according to its parliamentary spokesperson, Anton Alberts.
The campaign consisted of the gathering of signatures via email and through an activism website where a protest letter could be signed.
These would be presented to President Jacob Zuma to pressurise the ANC into taking disciplinary steps against Malema.
The ANC said: “The FF+’s repeated lie that a song sung by the ANC Youth League president on various occasions has led to the death of some farmers is a clear deliberate ploy on their side to mobilise the farming community and their next-of-kin not to hesitate in causing harm to the youth league president.”
“It is our view that if the FF+ believes in its own lies, it would have approached the law enforcement authorities and reported such.
“Its failure to report this matter is indicative that even the FF+ does not believe in what it claims.”
Equality Court
The ANC said it would approach the Equality Court over the matter, because it viewed the campaign as indicative of hate speech meant to endanger and pose a threat to the well-being and safety of Malema.
“We have already instructed our lawyers to file papers with the Equality Court on this matter, with immediate effect.”
Its concern had to be seen in the light of the assassination of former South African Communist Party general secretary and ANC national executive committee member Chris Hani by “right-wing elements” in 1993.
FF+ chief whip Corné Mulder it was ironic that the ANC had laid a charge against the party’s campaign because it was worried about Malema’s safety.
“It shows no real understanding for the thousands of farmers who have already been murdered in South Africa or about the safety of farmers.”
Mulder said the objective of the campaign was not at all to jeopardise the safety of Malema, “but in the interest of South Africa and good relations to prevent him from continuing with his racial incitement performances”.
About 200 supporters of AfriForum, a human rights organisation, gathered at the Mary Fitzgerald Square, in Newtown, on Friday morning, carrying posters and occasionally chanting: “Stop Malema”.
Their placards read: “Stop Malema”, “ANC: Kill the Boer … Words can Kill”, “Malema has blood on his hands” and “Malema; a champagne sipping racist”.
AfriForum has drawn up a list of 1 600 people murdered on South African farms in recent years, to show that Malema’s recent singing of “kill the Boer” could have consequences.
Malema sang it at his birthday celebration in Polokwane and at a student gathering in Johannesburg earlier in March. — Sapa