EFF vows to appeal land interdict

The EFF has vowed to appeal against a court judgment that upheld an interdict stopping the party and its leaders from inciting illegal land occupation. AfriForum and Afri Business successfully opposed a rescission application by the EFF in the High Court in Pretoria.

The EFF has vowed to appeal against a court judgment that upheld an interdict stopping the party and its leaders from inciting illegal land occupation.

AfriForum and Afri Business successfully opposed a rescission application by the EFF in the High Court in Pretoria.

This means EFF leaders and members would be arrested for being in contempt of court if they called on people to occupy private and state-owned land.

Though the interdict was granted to the two groups after litigation against the EFF that started in November 2016, the party sought relief from the court to set it aside.

The two organisations also said they had applied for and were granted an interdict against the Black First Land First (BLF) group.

The two groups took EFF leader Julius Malema, his party and the BLF to task after utterances made on public platforms encouraging people to settle on unoccupied land.

AfriForum and Afri Business could not be reached for comment on Sunday. However, AfriForum’s Tarien Cooks said on Friday: “We will not hesitate to act against Malema and the EFF should they incite people to grab land.”

In a different case before the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court, Malema is being tried for making similar remarks in 2016, when he encouraged EFF members to make use of unoccupied land. The case is set down for March.

Malema has challenged the constitutionality of the charges against him, which are based on the Trespassing Act. He has justified his stance on land by stating that he has been repeating what the Freedom Charter says.

The EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said on Sunday that Friday’s judgment was “default”. “Expropriation without compensation is now policy and will find expression in legislation.”