Johannesburg – The anti-immigrant sentiment sweeping through South Africa has taken a new twist with Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), demanding an apology and damages of one million rand from one of the proponents, Ngizwe Mchunu.
Earlier this week, tensions resurged during the anti-immigration marches in Pretoria and Johannesburg, by groups such as Amabhinca Nation led by Mchunu and March on March led by former Vuma FM radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma.
Mchunu, who has been using social media to whip up support, allegedly said: “… Julius Malema… he recently got 60 million from the Nigerian drug dealers, that’s why he is highly protected and is also willing to lose everything that he has, politically, in order to protect Nigerians and other illegal immigrants…”
Malema has taken umbrage with these and other assertions made by Mchunu.
The EFF leader’s attorneys, England Slabbert Attorneys Inc., have written to Mchunu and given him an ultimatum to apologise and withdraw his social media posts denigrating Malema, or face further action.
“Your defamatory statements were intended to cause the public to lose faith in our client and the EFF, and this is done in an attempt to cause maximum reputational damage to both our client and the EFF in the attempt to decrease voter support and votes for the EFF in the upcoming local government elections,” the attorneys wrote.
They demand that Mchunu retract the defamatory statements made against Malema.
The attorneys said Mchunu’s retraction is to take the form of a public statement in which he must apologise to Malema for the allegations made; retract the statements made against him on account of them being untrue and defamatory.
The attorneys also demanded that the retraction be immediate and that Mchunu accept the hurtful, damaging, and defamatory effect it has had on Malema.
“The public statement is to be shared by you on all your social media accounts, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter (X), TikTok, and Instagram; the public statement is to be issued as a press statement in your name,” England Slabbert Attorneys Inc. wrote in their letter to Mchunu.
To that end, the attorneys said the apology must also be sent to podcaster King Zoso to post on his TikTok page. Mchunu appeared on the podcast and allegedly made defamatory remarks about Malema.
The attorneys added that Mchunu must pay damages to Malema “in the amount of R1 000 000 in settlement of the harm caused”.
The attorneys warned Mchnu that should he fail to comply with the demands “within 24 hours of receipt of this letter, our client has instructed to launch proceedings against you which may include an action for damages and to seek a punitive costs order against you”.
