The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party and its leader, Julius Malema, face a R1 million lawsuit on the grounds of hate speech.
As reported by News24, Dante van Wyk, who was charged with assaulting EFF supporters during the ‘Battle of Brackenfell’, said he felt threatened by remarks made by Malema and party members, which he believes were directed at him.
This, in turn, has caused van Wyk to go into hiding.
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The focus of van Wyk’s case lies in a speech during the party’s provincial rally on 16 October, 2022, where Malema stated, ‘One must never fear to take a life; a revolution inevitably involves acts of violence because violence is inherent to revolutionary action.’
In addition to Malema’s statement, van Wyk maintains that the following comments on social media pose a threat to his safety:
- ‘His name is Danté van Wyk. We are busy tracing his address. He will be captured soon. Dead or alive. We will come back with him,’
- ‘Al(l) your white Racist Rednecks, you gonna know your maker.’
The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will be a co-applicant, and Judge Mark Sher will be hearing the case as a civil action in the Cape Town Equality Court.
The ‘Battle of Brackenfell’ refers to the EFF’s protests that occurred in 2020 at Brackenfell High School, when allegations were made that an unofficial ‘whites-only’ matric dance party had been organised.
EFF protesters soon came face-to-face with the South African Police Service (SAPS), various security companies and community members, and a violent clash subsequently erupted between the party members and parents.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) investigated the incident, and released its findings in 2022.
The findings of the investigation stated that ‘the School did not host a whites-only matric ball and therefore did not discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, fairly or unfairly, against Grade 12 learners on the ground of race’.
Students from other schools were also invited to the event and were ‘never told to invite only white learners’ to the event.
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Picture: Economic Freedom Fighters / X
