EFF leader Julius Malema during day one of the 2019 State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2019 debate at the National Assembly on February 12, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Esa Alexander) Malema arrived at the offices of the so-called Hawks in the capital, Pretoria, on Tuesday. His party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, said Monday the unit would issue a warning statement to Malema.
The 38-year-old head of the EFF was filmed allegedly shooting a rifle into the air during the party’s five-year anniversary celebrations in the southern town of East London last year.
His appearance before the Hawks came a day after the Daily Maverick, a Johannesburg-based news website, alleged that Malema was a beneficiary of funds looted from failed VBS Mutual Bank. EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said he couldn’t immediately comment when contacted on Tuesday. The party has previously said there’s no proof its officials did anything wrong.
Malema formed the EFF, which is known for it abrasive politics and brawling in parliament, in July 2013 after he was expelled from the ruling African National Congress. His party won 11% of the national vote in May 8 elections.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Nkululeko Ncana in Johannesburg at nncana@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net