Julius Malema loses challenge to apartheid-era law

July 4, 2019
Report Focus News

South Africa EFF President Julius Malema has lost his application to declare the country’s Riotous Assemblies Act unconstitutional.

Malema challenged the constitutionality of the Act, saying the State was using apartheid-era legislation to prosecute him.

This relates to two incidents in which the state accused Mr Malema of inciting violence when he urged supporters of his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to invade unoccupied land.

A criminal case against the EFF leader was brought by Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum.

Mr Malema had argued that the Riotous Assemblies Act was passed under the apartheid regime to oppress black people including Nelson Mandela, and that it should never be tolerated under a new democratic dispensation.

He also said that the act was used to silence him.