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JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s opposition politician Julius Malema will return to court in September next year after a judge refused yesterday to drop corruption charges against him. The expelled chief of the ruling ANC’s youth wing, now a prominent opposition leader, had tried to get the graft charges thrown out, but High Court judge Ephraim Makgoba ruled that the charges were “not withdrawn” and would be pursued by the authorities.
Malema is facing charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering, arising from allegations that he arranged lucrative government contracts for cronies in return for kickbacks.
He is charged with four of his business associates and faces up to 15 years in prison.
The firebrand politician in July launched his leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party to take on the ANC, which has dominated South Africa’s political scene for decades.
The financial affairs of the 32-year-old, notorious for his extravagant lifestyle, became the subject of a probe by the public watchdog last year after he was kicked out of the party.
Some of his assets, including a farm, a house and other personal effects, were seized and later auctioned by the tax authorities to cover more than $2 million in unpaid taxes.
A one-time staunch supporter of President Jacob Zuma, Malema has maintained that his prosecution is a political ploy to silence his relentless criticism of Zuma’s leadership.
Malema has been out on bail since September 2012.
Meanwhile, Malema accused the ANC yesterday of refusing to forgive him while they did so for those who killed anti-apartheid activists.
“Why would they go out to destroy a young man?” he told supporters after appearing in the Polokwane High Court.
“Why did they take everything from him and still protected those who killed our people? Where are the people who were hanging revolutionaries in Pretoria?”
The expelled former African National Congress Youth League leader was speaking after failing to persuade the court to withdraw charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, and racketeering against him. He allegedly made nearly R4m from corrupt activities.
Malema denied committing any serious crime, adding that his only offence was to express views that differed from those of the ANC.
He said his political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, was the only solution to poverty.
“They do not have charges against us. This is a political prosecution for holding different views. They (the ANC) disagree with what we represent and therefore manipulate the prosecution.” — Sapa-AFP.
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