The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has strongly condemned threats and intimidation directed at the prosecutor involved in the sentencing proceedings of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema in his firearm discharge case.
This follows social media posts containing serious threats, which appeared from an account purporting to represent the Red Berets. The NPA has emphasised that such remarks, whether perceived as credible or not, must be treated with the utmost seriousness and reported to the relevant authorities for investigation, as they undermine the rule of law.
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago described the threats as very serious, particularly given the reach of social media. He noted that one such post had already been viewed by 6,000 people by the time it came to the NPA’s attention.
“You must understand that when you make a statement like that on social media and they are read by people that you do not have control over… anybody can then take it in his own interpretation and do whatever they want to do,” Kganyago said.
He highlighted the context in the Eastern Cape, where three prosecutors have been killed in the recent past, roughly the past two years. Prosecutors, he stressed, are officers of the law and the courts who must be able to carry out their duties without fear, favour or prejudice.
The NPA views the rhetoric — including comments that the prosecutor “must be taught a lesson” and references that included body shaming — as a potential threat that cannot be accepted. Kganyago indicated that such statements could amount to intimidation or incitement, or both, and that the matter has been referred for investigation by the relevant authorities.
He made it clear that the NPA has no objection to citizens legally challenging a prosecutor’s actions or decisions in court, but blanket threatening statements that personalise the matter cross the line.
“We must respect the courts. We must respect the officers of the court and make sure that whatever outcomes come out of the court is based on the information before the courts. Don’t make it a personal issue,” Kganyago added.
Regarding the source of the post, which some observers suggested resembled an official EFF account, Kganyago stated that the NPA had described it as “purported to be coming from the EFF.” He said the party has a responsibility to clarify whether the content originated from them or not, and to address the potential consequences if harm results.
“The danger is when you put it out there in the public and anything happens, we will then have to come back to you who put this message out there and say why did you put the message? What did you mean by that?” he explained.
The threats emerged amid a politically charged atmosphere surrounding Malema’s case. Large crowds have shown support for the EFF leader at courts across the province during the sentencing proceedings. Kganyago noted, however, that the NPA focuses solely on prosecuting matters based on the facts and within the prescripts of the law. Responsibility for managing any protests or crowds outside the courts lies with other agencies, such as the police.
The NPA reiterated its commitment to safeguarding its prosecutors so they can perform their functions independently, safely and effectively.
Kganyago’s comments were made during an interview in response to the circulating social media content. The authority has urged the public to report any threats against prosecutors to law enforcement.