Earlier on Thursday, the lawyer for Malema told the Randburg Magistrates Court that colonel Johannes Venter did not bother to look for the permit on the EFF leader’s car before he stopped them at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral.
EFF leader Julius Malema outside the Randburg Magistrates Court on Thursday, 29 October 2020. Picture: Xanderleigh Dookey/EWN
RANDBURG – The assault case against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and party MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has been postponed until March next year pending further testimonies of witnesses.
Earlier on Thursday, the lawyer for Malema told the Randburg Magistrates Court that Colonel Johannes Venter did not bother to look for the permit on the EFF leader’s car before he stopped them at Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s funeral.
Malema And Ndlozi are accused of pushing Venter after he tried to deny them access to the cemetery, saying they were not accredited to enter.
The pair pleaded not guilty to the charge, but have not taken the stand to give their version of events.
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Malema’s lawyer Advocate Laurence Hodes spent the day cross-examining Venter.
He used video evidence to prove to the court that a paper seen on the dashboard of the vehicle Malema was traveling in was in fact accreditation.
He questioned how Venter could not see the paper.
“Your worship I see that there is a white paper there by the window. It can be a permit and it can not be a permit,” Venter said.
Hodes said in response: “You didn’t bother to look. Let’s be honest for once, you didn’t bother to look.”
Venter stuck to his story, saying that he saw no accreditation on the vehicle. He also said Malema’s vehicle was not part of the official convoy.
