FF+ uses act to access Malema trust

2011-07-29 22:19

Cape Town - The Freedom Front Plus has brought an application in terms of the Promotion of the Access to Information Act against Julius Malema's Ratanang family trust to obtain the financial statements.

FF+ spokesperson Anton Alberts said on Friday: "This application comes against the backdrop of the revelations of the existence of the trust and allegations that the trust funds Malema's lavish lifestyle with income gained from corrupt relationships.

"Malema, in reaction to the allegations, invited the South African Revenue Service (Sars) to do a lifestyle audit of his finances," he said.

Youth League leader Malema had indicated that he had nothing to hide and that was why the FF Plus had brought the application to give him the opportunity to show that everything was in order with the trust.

It was important to prove that Malema lived according to what he propagated, as he had "appointed himself as the mouthpiece of poor black people.

"In that capacity he makes reckless and wild statements, sings hate speech songs and creates unrealistic expectations with desperately poor people," Alberts said.

"His influence is of great interest to South Africa's future and if he then breaks the law himself or lives unethically, the public should know about it so that the poor are not dragged along by a man who is nothing other than a false prophet."

Civil rights group AfriForum on Sunday opened a corruption case against Malema following a City Press report that he had a trust fund allegedly for deposits from businessmen in Limpopo, which he used to bankroll his lifestyle.

The complaint was laid in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act of 2004.

- SAPA