Malema remains positive as state delays his corruption case

EFF leader Julius Malema faces the prospect of hitting the campaign trail towards the 2016 local government elections with a cloud of criminal charges hanging over his head.

A defiant Malema yesterday said no one but God could determine his future and that even if he went to jail or was killed the legacy of EFF would remain.

“The possibility of an unfair trial are strong but we will remain unshaken. We must only be scared of God and not these individuals … don’t be demoralised, remain strong.

“The state is against us but don’t be scared, we will overcome,” he said.

He was speaking to hundreds of his supporters outside the Polokwane High Court where he was appearing on charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering.

His trial was postponed to August 3 next year after one of the counsels of the defendants was not present.

Malema said the state was too happy agree to a postponement because there was no case for him to answer. “If there was, they would have insisted that this hearing happens,” he said.

Malema claimed President Jacob Zuma and the ANC were determined to derail his party.

“You must reclaim the streets. This is the home of the EFF,” he said.

The state alleged that Malema pocketed nearly R4-million from corrupt activities in Limpopo.

He and his co-accused, directors at On-Point Engineering, Kagisho Dichabe and Lesiba Gwangwa, have been charged with racketeering and 52 other charges including fraud.

The men allegedly misrepresented themselves to the Limpopo roads and transport department, leading to a R52-million contract being awarded to On-Point in which Malema through his Ratanang Family Trust is a shareholder.

The state alleged that Malema used his gains from the tender payment to buy a farm and a Mercedes-Benz. Malema said he would ask that his case be separated from that of his co-accused who unlike him were not ready.

He remained unfazed yesterday, in the face of the fact his career as a parliamentarian would end if found guilty.

Like Zuma – who also could campaign for the local elections with the spy tapes case hanging over his head – Malema argued he was a victim of a political conspiracy.

“The abuse of the judiciary was at play as some black judges are being corrupted by an ‘irrelevant’ ANC which has “marginalised thinkers”, he said.

The NPA has dropped charges against other business associates who were accused of bribing him, including Selbie Manthata, his wife Helen Moreroa and his brother Makgetsi Manthatha in March this year but not him.

Malema still faced provisional sequestration after he dodged paying his taxes.

But he believed he would be done paying the taxman by December.