Malema 'shows the law is an ass'

2009-12-23 21:42

Michael Hamlyn

Cape Town - According to the Democratic Alliance, the fact that there is to be no investigation into Julius Malema's attempts to dodge a speeding fine shows that ruling party officials can use their positions to influence legal systems and procedures unduly.

Dianne Kohler Barnard, who speaks on police matters for the DA said on Wednesday, when she asked a Parliamentary question about the outcome of an investigation into the incident, Sbu Ndebele, the Transport Minister, told her that the Limpopo transport MEC, Pinky Kekana, claimed not to have any concrete facts about it.

"Despite assurances in the National Assembly by the deputy minister of transport, Jeremy Cronin, that the matter would be investigated, Limpopo officials will not be investigating Malema allegedly being caught doing 107km in a 60km zone and then bullying officials to circumvent the law," Kohler Barnard said.

"Cronin claimed in the National Assembly that no-one was above the law.  To that the DA says, 'Rot'.  Cronin claimed in the National Assembly that the department would be seeking to establish what exactly happened. To that the DA says, 'Rubbish'."

Kohler Barnard insists that the officers involved were reportedly rounded up by traffic chiefs and issued with threatening letters for their mistreatment of the head of the ANC Youth.

"The evidence that they supplied in relation to the incident has been suppressed," she said.

Malema 'uncharacteristically silent'

"We still await an explanation from the uncharacteristically silent Malema. According to reports, when he was pulled over by officers he had a set of blue lights handy, slammed them on the roof of his luxury vehicle, and tried to use them to intimidate the officers.

"I stand by my claim that blue lights and security personnel seem to be a fashion accessory for Malema – like Paris Hilton's dog in the handbag."

The vacuous response from the ministry of transport, she said, is proof that Malema is above the law.

It has made a liar of the deputy minister, whose recent spat with Malema has been widely publicised.  And it has shown extremely dangerous political meddling with the execution of police duties by political nobodies.

She added that she now proposes to ask similar questions of the minister of police, Nathi Mthethwa, hoping that his answers will be less vacuous.
 
"One can only show the law is an ass so many times," Kohler Barnard concluded, "after which the citizens will begin treating it with the same contempt with which the ANC underlings do on a daily basis."

- I-Net Bridge (News24)