Staff Reporter

In a significant development following a recent hate speech conviction, civil rights organization AfriForum and the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI) have formally requested for countries worldwide to impose targeted sanctions against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema.

The move is part of a broader, sustained campaign against what the organizations describe as incitement to violence against minorities in South Africa.

The call for international sanctions comes after the Equality Court found Malema guilty of hate speech last week.

The ruling stems from a 2022 speech in which the court determined that Malema’s remarks constituted an exhortation to kill white men involved in a prior incident at Brackenfell High School.

The court had ordered the EFF to retract the statements within 10 days, an order the party has not complied with.

AfriForum’s Head of Public Relations, Ernst van Zyl, stated that the latest action is a direct result of what he calls Malema’s impunity regarding hate speech.

“This comes after many years of Julius Malema getting away with hate speech with impunity.” Van Zyl said in a statement.

“There are many court cases and different campaigns attached to Mr. Malema, but with this campaign, in particular, it is a call from AfriForum and SAAI for further international repercussions for Julius Malema for, among other things, inciting violence against minorities in South Africa.” Van Zyl added.

The two organizations have compiled a “Malema Dossier” to be distributed internationally.

The dossier reportedly details Malema’s alleged hate speech, incitement to violence, and statements in support of what they describe as terrorist acts. The groups argue that the action is necessary because, in their view, South African legal mechanisms, including a previous Constitutional Court ruling on the “Kill the Boer” chant, have failed to hold Malema accountable.

In its response to the Equality Court ruling, the EFF, has labeled the judgment as an attack on the democratic space and the right to articulate revolutionary politics.

The party has maintained that the court’s decision is a grave distortion of the historical and political context of Malema’s speech.