Johannesburg – The Solidarity Law Network says Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Leader Julius Malema’s comments about the magistrate and prosecutor after his sentencing place a target on legal practitioners.
Malema was sentenced on Thursday, 16 April 2026, to five years in prison for breaking the country’s gun laws when he fired a rifle at an EFF celebration in 2018.
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Although the presiding magistrate granted Malema leave to appeal his sentence and released him on warning, the EFF leader lashed out at her during his address to supporters outside the East London Magistrate’s Court.
Commenting on the matter, the Solidarity Law Network on Friday, 17 April 2026, stated that it “strongly condemns statements made by Julius Malema in which he openly labelled Magistrate Twanet Olivier a ‘racist of note’.”
Solidarity added: “He also insulted Public Prosecutor Joel Cesar, accused him of misconduct and lies, and suggested that a case of perjury should be opened against him”.
Solidarity added: “Instead of respecting the court’s judgment, he has chosen to openly undermine the integrity of the judiciary”.
Dr Llewelyn Curlewis, a member of the Solidarity Law Network advisory council, stated that Malema’s conduct amounted to “mob behaviour and propaganda by a radical criminal”.
Commenting further on the matter, Riaan Visser, head of Solidarity’s Law Network,noted that “South Africa is already a country where legal practitioners are under pressure”.
He described Malema’s remarks as “extremely dangerous”.
Visser added: “There is a good reason why this kind of attack on legal practitioners cannot be tolerated”.
Visser pointed to a disturbing increase in violence against legal practitioners, including the following:
• Earlier this year, labour lawyer Chinette Gallichan was shot dead in cold blood outside the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
• In September 2025, Bouwer van Niekerk, an attorney and business rescue practitioner, was murdered in his office after attackers posed as clients.
• Four years ago, attorney Schalk Pienaar was murdered in Mokopane due to his involvement in a corruption case.
• The assassination of liquidator Cloete Murray and his son further shocked the country.
Anton van der Bijl, Deputy Chief Executive of Legal Matters at Solidarity, echoed Visser’s comments, saying these murders “highlight why irresponsible remarks or utterances directed at legal practitioners should under no circumstances be tolerated”.
Van der Bijl added: “Against this background, it is irresponsible and dangerous to launch personal attacks on judges and magistrates.
“It places a target on the backs of legal practitioners, particularly those involved in high-profile matters.”
Solidarity stated that the independence and safety of the judiciary are cornerstones of the rule of law.
“Any attempt to undermine this must be firmly opposed,” said Visser.
“Disagreeing with a judgment does not grant anyone, including Malema, the right to resort to outrageous attacks against a magistrate, public prosecutor or any other legal practitioner,” Van der Bijl concludes.
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Solidarity said it has called on the Judicial Service Commission and relevant authorities to prioritise the safety of legal practitioners, “to curb this type of inflammatory behaviour at its source, and to unequivocally condemn it”.
Soon after the sentencing, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) posted a statement on X saying it welcomed the ruling.
But the Red Berets were having none of it, and they too posted on X, taking a dig at the NPA over its convictions of persons accused of serious crime.
