Johannesburg – Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has alleged that the tax case against him is a politically motivated conspiracy run by a group of Indians ‘in bed’ with Afrikaners, the Sunday Times reported.

“I’m subjected to political persecution by political leadership led by [Finance Minister] Pravin [Gordhan], with his group of Indians,” Malema was quoted as telling the newspaper.

“It’s a small clique of Indians who are in bed with a group of Afrikaners in [the SA Revenue Service], and Afrikaners in the law fraternity.”

He reportedly claimed the “small group of Indians” had a “political programme” against him.

“The Afrikaner are [sic] pursuing a racial hatred against Julius and what he advocates for,” he was quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, Malema’s Polokwane house was auctioned.

Sars attached the property to recoup Malema’s R16m tax debt.

In May, Malema’s incomplete mansion in Sandton, Johannesburg, was sold at auction for R5.9m. His farm in Limpopo fetched R2.5m at auction in June. 

Several of his household goods were also auctioned earlier in the year.

Malema also faces corruption charges in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court. He is accused of making nearly R4m from corrupt activities, and is out on bail of R10 000. 

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A 22 year old young man was travelling in his BMW when it appears that he suddenly lost control of the vehicle. He crashed the vehicle into a wall of a building at the corners of Voortrekker and 8th and collided into four pedestrians which had been standing on the sidewalk at the time.

“Sadly, one of the pedestrians was allegedly killed as a result of the impact while the other three were treated for serious injuries including broken bones” Er24 spokesperson Vanessa Jackson said. 

“They received care by paramedics and were taken to hospitals in the area by ambulance” Jackson continues.

Er24 said the driver of the BMW stood no chance as his vehicle stood shredded at the side of the road, car parts strewn for a couple of meters down the road. 

“He had died as a result of the extensive injuries that he had sustained in the crash and he was declared dead” Jackson said.

At this time, investigations are still underway as to the cause of this horrific crash.

(Edited by Obakeng Maje)

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Pic: (By Obakeng Maje)
Johannesburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says it has secured over 1 000 new members.

“We received 1 100 new members on the first day of recruiting,” said party leader Julius Malema at a media briefing in Soweto.

“If this becomes a trend then we will be getting 1 000 member[s] every day…it’s going to be bigger than what we expected.”

This exceeded their expectations, he said.

The EFF – which had gathered in Soweto for a two day national assembly – plans to contest next year’s general election.

Malema said the EFF would be officially registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Monday after a few amendments had been made, including changes to its logo.

The EFF logo depicted an arrow instead of a spear and this was to be changed.

Malema said the party would register with double the required number of members needed to contest the election.

“I was told by the IEC that we should have 500 members to register but we are going to register with 1 100 new members,” the former ANC Youth League leader said.

Malema is facing corruption charges in the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court. 

Potential

He is accused of making nearly R4m from corrupt activities and is out on bail of R10 000.

He faces charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering and racketeering.

Malema acknowledged on Saturday that intimidation was part of politics, but expressed concern about the alleged intimidation of his members.

He said “people with pangas” had intimidated his members during an EFF meeting in the Vaal, but did not say when this had occurred.

He noted that intimidation tactics were worse in Mpumalanga.

“I am more worried about Mpumalanga because they have the potential to kill,” he said.

Malema also encouraged Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and his wife to stay strong amid the rape allegations against him.

Vavi’s lawyer Dup de Bruyn said earlier that a case of extortion had been opened against a woman who allegedly tried to blackmail Vavi.

Malema said he expected Vavi’s wife to stick by his side and not allow “his detractors any room for joy”.

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Johannesburg – An elderly man and a woman were killed when their car collided with a minibus taxi in Vosloorus, on the East Rand, on Saturday morning, paramedics said.

Two people in the taxi were severely injured and were airlifted to nearby hospitals, ER24 spokesperson Vanessa Jackson said.

Thirteen other people in the taxi, including two children, suffered minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to nearby hospitals.

However, Ekurhuleni metro police department spokesperson Kobeli Mokheseng said that a third vehicle, a Volkswagen Golf was also involved in the crash.

The driver of the Golf was arrested after tests indicated that he was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Two dogs were with the couple in their car.  One of the dogs died on the scene and the other was rushed to a nearby vet.

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Johannesburg – Lawyer Dup de Bruyn says a case of extortion has been opened against a woman who allegedly tried to blackmail Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi over a rape allegation.

De Bruyn said that the charge was laid at Sandton police station on Thursday evening.

Police spokesperson Kym Cloete verified this.

Vavi released a statement earlier on Saturday in which he denied having raped a Congress of SA Trade Unions colleague.

He claimed that he had been in a consensual extramarital affair with the woman.

A document presented as the woman’s grievance complaint of sexual harassment, Vavi’s response to this, and SMSes allegedly exchanged between the two was attached to the statement.

Vavi also claimed the woman demanded R2m from him in exchange for her silence on the matter.

De Bruyn said that the woman had not opened a case of rape with the police yet.

“We cannot comment further because there are two processes… the grievance procedure and the extortion charge…, which police are investigating.”

Police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamini was not immediately able to confirm whether a charge of rape had been opened.

The woman, whose name was included in Vavi’s reply on the sexual harassment grievance, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Disappointed

The grievance letter attributed to the woman was to the effect that she had no intention of having sex with Vavi.

The email, allegedly sent by the woman, reads that she had refused Vavi’s advances but he had forced himself upon her.

The woman apparently stayed away from her job at Cosatu because she feared it would happen again.

Vavi said on his Twitter account on Saturday morning: “I know many are extremely disappointed at news that I have admitted to hav[ing] cheated on my wife.

“I have apologised to her profusely,” he tweeted.

He apologised to the South African public for the indiscretion and said: “I am only human and fallible. I am no saint”.

In his statement earlier on Saturday, Vavi said the matter was “extremely intimate, private, personal and delicate”.

He appealed, on behalf of his own family and that of the woman, to the media for privacy.

“There are two families and children on both sides involved in this extremely delicate matter.

“Their interests are foremost in my mind as we go through this period.”

In his statement earlier, Vavi denied having raped the woman.

“I categorically and emphatically deny that on 25 January 2013 I went to complainant’s office, ‘grabbed’ and kissed her, forcefully fondled her private parts and raped her.”

Legitimate

Vavi said he believed the allegations were part of a plot to discredit him or extort money from him.

“All our encounters were encounters between two consenting adults who clearly had feelings for one another,” he claimed.

“…For years now I have been dealing with consistent threats to my life, political assaults and efforts to destroy my contribution to the struggle of the working class and the poor in this country.

“Lately as we all know, these efforts to destroy me have intensified. I am unable not to view this matter in the same light.”

Vavi told eNCA on Thursday that he had received numerous death threats, which hinted that he could be killed in a car “accident” or through poisoning.

On Saturday Vavi said he was “ready and willing to appear before any legitimate body to clear my name”.

In response to the grievance against him, Vavi said: “On 3 July 2013 I received a letter …[containing] the complainant’s demand for payment of two million rand”.

“This letter convinced my wife and myself that I was being blackmailed to pay this amount.”

The Vavis’ lawyers also viewed this letter as blackmail, he said.

Six days later, the lawyers sent the woman and her husband a letter “informing them that what they were trying to do is blackmail and extortion”.

Vavi said there was no response to this letter.

The letter, allegedly from the woman and her husband, was attached to Vavi’s statement.

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