No rock star reception for Malema
|Published
Unlike at Julius Malema's two previous court appearances, provincial government leaders were not present in court to support him. Unlike at Julius Malema's two previous court appearances, provincial government leaders were not present in court to support him.
Johannesburg - Julius Malema made a leisurely entrance into the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court this morning, without the mass support he is used to enjoying.
He arrived in the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 8 that belongs to his long-time confidant and ANC Youth League Limpopo secretary Jacob Lebogo. The crowds who had previously held night vigils on the eves of his past appearances and had packed the court precinct were nowhere to be seen on Tuesday.
No supporters were bused in from other parts of the province to support the expelled youth league president.
Only a handful of sympathisers gathered outside the court.
“Down with the government of rapists, the government of murderers. Down with buffalo down,” the youthful group shouted in support of Malema.
Sympathisers like Sello Secho from Ga-Mphahlele village believed Malema was being prosecuted for dissenting against President Jacob Zuma’s leadership. “He is being punished for not supporting Zuma prior to Mangaung. But he remains our president and he will bounce back,” said Secho.
Unlike at Malema’s two previous court appearances, provincial government leaders were not present in court to support him on Tuesday.
Once the proceedings got under way, the defence and prosecution agreed that the case be postponed to June 20 for the State to decide on the new date for the high court.
Malema faces racketeering and money-laundering charges.
These relate to the R52 million contract awarded to the On-Point Engineering company by the Limpopo government. Malema owned shares in the company.
He walked into the court flanked by Lebogo and regional youth leader Jossie Buthane. Malema’s family, including his cousin Tshepo, businessman Kenny Kunene and Magdalene Moonsamy, the league’s former national spokeswoman, were present.
Malema appeared alongside his co-accused, former business associate and director of On-Point Engineering Lesiba Gwangwa.
Other co-accused in the dock were Kagisho Dichabe, another director at the company, businessman Selbie Manthata, his wife Helen Moreroa and his brother Makgetsi. Malema’s co-accused face multiple charges ranging from fraud to corruption, money laundering and racketeering.
After their arrival shortly before 9am, they were all made to wait for over an hour before magistrate Janine Ungerer took up her seat. While in the same dock, the accused hardly spoke to each other.
The court gallery was packed with members of the public. Both inside and outside the court, police had beefed up security.
Landros Mare Street, where it intersects with Thabo Mbeki Drive and other roads leading to the court vicinity, was cordoned off with barbed wire.
Police and emergency personnel had been on stand-by.
“We have deployed members from the public order policing. We had the dog units and tactical response team,” said Limpopo police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.
Malema was represented by his new lawyer Tumi Mokwena, who appeared for the first time in this case on his behalf after his former lawyers abandoned his case.
The Star