South Africa opposition leader Malema convicted of hate speech over remarks during 2022 rally
In its ruling on Wednesday, the court maintained that Malema "demonstrated an intent to incite harm", noting that while it is okay to criticise someone for acting in a racist way, it is never acceptable to call for their death.
South African opposition politician and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party Julius Malema has been found guilty of hate speech by the country's Equality Court for remarks made during a political rally in 2022.
The incident occurred after a white man reportedly attacked an EFF member during the rally, prompting Malema to urge his supporters not to shy away from fighting back against what he described as their oppressors, even if it meant resorting to deadly means.
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Racial tensions between Black and white South Africans have persisted in the Cyril Ramaphosa-led nation largely due to the legacy of apartheid, abolished 31 years ago, and ongoing economic inequalities.
"No white man is going to beat me up... you must never be scared to kill. A revolution demands that at some point there must be killing," Malema said then.
The case moved to court after petitions were filed by the South African Human Rights Commission and another individual who reportedly received threats following the EFF leader's remarks.
In its ruling on Wednesday, the court maintained that Malema "demonstrated an intent to incite harm", noting that while it is okay to criticise someone for acting in a racist way, it is never acceptable to call for their death.
"Calling for someone to be killed because they are a racist who has acted violently is an act of vigilantism and an incitement of the most extreme form of harm possible," the court ruled.
Equality courts in South Africa can order offenders to apologise, pay compensation, or be referred for criminal prosecution, but Malema's punishment in the case has yet to be determined.
Malema's EFF party subsequently dismissed the ruling in a statement on X, stating that it limits political expression.
"We note the Court's ruling as an attack on the democratic space and the right to articulate revolutionary politics. The language of revolution cannot be sanitised to comfort the sensitivities of those who continue to enjoy the fruits of colonial dispossession and have never experienced racial violence whatsoever," it said.
"The real violence is the daily reality of landlessness, unemployment, and racism that black people endure."
Malema is not new to controversy. He has often been linked to a song that drew global attention when United States President Donald Trump earlier this year used it to claim that South Africa's government was allowing white farmers to be killed for their land, a claim the South African government has rejected.
In June, the United Kingdom also refused to renew Malema's visa, calling him an extremist, a decision he cannot appeal unless he provides "compelling new evidence" in future applications.
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