/ 10 April 2019

Malema to take Rawula to ‘the cleaners’

Julius Malema addressed the media on Wednesday.
EFF leader Julius Malema plans to sue a former party member for comments he made on Facebook. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

On Wednesday, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema told journalists he plans to sue Thembinkosi Rawula for R1-million over what he claims are defamatory comments made by the party’s former head of disciplinary commission.

Rawula has resigned from the party.

Rawula called on the party to show its financial audits from the past four years. In a Facebook post last week, Rawula accused Malema and his deputy, Floyd Shivambu, of financial mismanagement and of accepting a donation from now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank.

READ MORE: Rawula resigns, calls on EFF to produce financials

“We reiterate that our financial standing as an organisation is at its best, demonstrated by the fact that Parliament, [provincial] legislatures and the IEC [Electoral Commission of South Africa] have all given EFF money for five years. We have noted with keen interest that there are people who because they did not find expression in the EFF final list to parliament, have decided to break rank,” Malema said.

The leader of the Red Berets added that he has not taken money from the party, saying Rawula must go to the treasurer general of the EFF if he wants to see the party’s finances. He then vowed to “clean out” Rawula out, saying his lawyers are already in the process of finalising a summons against the former EFF member.

Rawula’s allegations were personal and had nothing to do with the EFF, so they will now meet in court, the EFF leader said.