EFF leader Julius Malema has lambasted security company Fidelity and its investigations head, retired Hawks boss Johan Booysen, over plans to counter his party’s upcoming nationwide shutdown on Monday
Malema was briefing the media at the party’s headquarters at Gandhi Square in central Johannesburg, where he also criticised police commissioner General Fannie Masemola.
His comments come after Sunday World reported earlier in the day that Fidelity has requested a meeting with Masemola to provide assistance to police in their response to “potential violence and looting” during the protest that will, among other things, demand President Cyril Ramaphosa’s immediate resignation.
In e-mail communication that this newspaper has seen, Booysen is pleading with Masemola for an “urgent meeting” for a collaborative strategy between private security companies and police in order to “mitigate potential risk to limb and property and to allay fears of public instability”.
Malema said the EFF is not deterred as theirs is a peaceful protest action that might not only end on Monday, but could carry on indefinitely.
“Anyone who threatens the right of the fighters and fellow South Africans, defend yourselves,” charged Malema.
“That includes Fidelity. By the way, we are not scared of Booysen. He is just another human being.”
He said Booysen has “no authority over violence”.
“The way he conducted himself in KZN gives him no right, this isn’t KZN. We are not scared of Fidelity, neither are we scared of any private security.
“We know who owns and participates in Fidelity. We know the owners of Fidelity, and we know why it behaves the way it does.
“Ask yourself whose daughter is involved at Fidelity, and you will understand why Fidelity is interested the way it is in the shutdown. But we are not scared of them.”
He then turned his attention on Masemola, whom he accused of “planning violence” on the day of the shutdown.
The firebrand EFF leader said his party has been informed that Masemola is looking forward to a bloodbath, adding that the police commissioner has even defied his boss, Police Minister Bheki Cele, on how the police must conduct themselves on the day.
Malema said: “I have intelligence that Masemola is planning violence against EFF members and against the advice of the minister. The minister has warned Masemola that police must not act with heavy handedness on the protestors.
“We are watching Masemola very closely. If he gives illegal instructions like he did with Phala Phala, then we are going to get him arrested.
“The higher echelons of the police cannot be happy with the EFF march because the president is being called to resign.
“Key among the demands for the resignation of the president is Phala Phala, which implicates Masemola. So Booysen must know that there is no Masemola who is going to help him.”
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