Police cordoned off Brand Street in Bloemfontein and the city’s magistrate court precinct on Monday ahead of Economic Freedom Fighters’ leader Julius Malema court appearance here.
Barricades were placed in front of the court entrance while officers directed traffic away from the precinct. At the end of the street an EFF truck was parked, from which Malema would address his party supporters.
Inside the court building, private security guards searched and scanned those entering the court.
“All cases would be stood down until Malema’s court appearance was done. The Malema case is the priority case this morning,” a court official said.
Courtroom 20, where the case will be heard, was being cleared and officials from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) were at hand to register those entering the courtroom.
Malema faces charges relating to the alleged contravention of the Riotous Assemblies Act, which prohibits gatherings that might be deemed a public disruption by the State.
The State charged that in December 2014, Malema called on people to occupy vacant land during the EFF’s elective conference in Bloemfontein, where he was elected president of the fledgling party.
He repeated the same statement in June this year near Madadeni, Newcastle, in KwaZulu-Natal.
The 35-year-old politician appeared in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court on November 7. The case was postponed after Malema sought to lodge an application with the Constitutional Court to have the apartheid-era act and the charges levelled against him declared unconstitutional.
On Monday, EFF supporters were due to march from Batho to court in the Bloemfontein CBD to demonstrate outside court as Malema appears inside.
The held a night vigil at Batho community hall in Bochabela.
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