Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema will appear at the Hawks’ head office in Pretoria on Tuesday over claims that he fired a rifle at the party’s birthday celebrations in East London last year. Malema will be giving a warning statement to the crime-fighting unit, the EFF confirmed in a statement. The Hawks also confirmed that Malema would be going to their offices.
This relates to allegations that Malema discharged a firearm at the party’s fifth birthday celebrations in East London in July last year. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said last week it had not taken a decision yet on whether to prosecute Malema for the incident.
Spokesperson Luyolo Tyali said the investigating officer had been given instructions with which he had to comply before a decision would be made public. One of those instructions was getting statements from Malema.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed on Monday that Malema would appear before the Hawks on Tuesday as part of the investigation procedures.
“We have to get a statement from Mr Malema as to what transpired. Mr Malema will be here tomorrow [Tuesday] to give the statement. The Hawks will then send the statement to the NPA for it to take a decision,” Mulaudzi said.
Video footage of the incident shows Malema carrying what appears to be a rifle, pointing it skywards and firing several shots while EFF members chant. Malema was adamant at the time that the incident was a simulation, that it was not a firearm and no real bullets were shot.
In other news – Two dead after Violent looting in Cape Town
Two people were found dead on the premises of a looted store after violence erupted in Samora Machel, Philippi, in the early hours of Sunday morning, Western Cape police said.
The bodies of a 32-year-old woman and an unknown man were recovered, spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut said. The circumstances surrounding their deaths are currently under investigation.Operation Lockdown forces were deployed to the area to restore stability. Read more
Source: News365