SAHRC slams 'killing for Zuma'

2008-06-18 15:39

Johannesburg - The SA Human Rights Commission has given ANC Youth League president Julius Malema 14 days to retract his controversial "kill for Zuma" remark.

If Malema failed to respond, the commission would take the matter further "in line with its constitutional mandate", said spokesperson Vincent Moaga on Wednesday.

He would not elaborate on what this would entail, and added: "We don't want to pre-empt that. Let's wait for him to respond".

The commission believed that Malema's statement should be viewed against the backdrop of unacceptable levels of crime and violence in South Africa.

It was unbecoming of one of South Africa's biggest youth formations to incite its membership to crime and violence.

Fighting crime

"We believe that statements like this are counter-productive to mobilising our youth as agents in the fight against crime."

Recent xenophobic violence had shown that the country's youth was extremely vulnerable to being coerced into violent and criminal behaviour.

"It is therefore prudent to insist that youth leaders like him align themselves with notions that would inspire our youth to engage in responsible citizenship."

On Tuesday Malema told e.tv that his statement that the league was prepared to kill for ANC president Jacob Zuma remark was not meant to be taken literally.

Moaga dismissed this explanation, saying that Malema was unrepentant and had made statements contradicting this stance in other interviews.

Malema told a Youth Day rally in Thaba Nchu in the Free State on Monday: "We are prepared to die for Zuma. We are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma."

In its letter to him, the commission warned that Malema's statement was a direct threat to the values enshrined in the Constitution.

The letter continued: "The commission is obligated to inform you that it is a criminal offence to unlawfully and intentionally engage in conduct which defeats or obstructs the course of the administration of justice.

"It is also unlawful behaviour to coerce the government through violence into action or inaction. As such, the commission regards your utterances as dismissive of the principle of the rule of the law."

In an interview with the SABC on Tuesday, Malema was asked if, in light of the recent xenophobic violence, his words could not be interpreted by the masses as a call to violence.

He replied: "No, no they won't do that, the South Africans are not that ignorant. "

"South Africans are highly conscious politically. They respect the law and they respect the institutions of our government."

"The same with the ANC Youth League. They won't do that."

"There are people who just try and distort and sensationalise the whole issue on the killing."

Malema said use of the word "kill" was meant to demonstrate "our love and passion" for the ANC president.

- SAPA