Julius Malema Seeks 6-Month Jail Sentence for Ngizwe Mchunu Over Contempt Breaches
Julius Malema Seeks 6-Month Jail Sentence for Ngizwe Mchunu Over Contempt Breaches
Ghana’s top stories, now easier to find. Discover our new search feature!
- EFF leader Julius Malema approached the Gauteng High Court four times between May and June to stop Ngizwe Mchunu from making defamatory statements about him
- Mchunu was found guilty of contempt of court and issued an unconditional public apology, but Malema alleges the defamatory remarks continued shortly after
- A disputed SABC interview conducted in isiZulu has become central to the case, with both parties given until 3 August to list their witnesses
EFF leader Julius Malema is pushing for social commentator Ngizwe Mchunu to serve six months behind bars, arguing that Mchunu continued making defamatory statements even after a court ordered him to stop and issued a formal apology.
The dispute played out in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, where Malema had already taken urgent legal action four times between 12 May and 18 June 2025 to halt Mchunu's public attacks against him.
Contempt Finding and the Apology That Followed
The legal pressure culminated in Mchunu being found guilty of contempt of court. He subsequently delivered an unconditional public apology to both Malema and the court.
The original contempt ruling arose from claims Mchunu made accusing Malema of receiving money from Nigerian drug dealers and undocumented foreign nationals. Mchunu also allegedly linked the EFF leader to corruption tied to VBS Mutual Bank and On Point Engineering. On top of the financial allegations, Mchunu reportedly referred to Malema as a "dog", a "political devil" and a "dead snake", all of which the court had expressly prohibited.
SABC Interview Reignites the Legal Battle
Malema alleges that Mchunu quickly undid the goodwill of his apology during a subsequent SABC interview. According to Malema, Mchunu told the broadcaster that he had only apologised because he was forced to and that he stood firmly behind every allegation he had previously made. Malema further contends that Mchunu repeated several statements the court had already ruled he could not make.
Malema has also challenged the validity of the apology itself, noting it was never signed or published in any media outlet.
Because the SABC interview was conducted entirely in isiZulu, the court determined the matter could not be resolved on written papers alone. Both parties have been given until 3 August to confirm which witnesses they intend to call before the case returns to court.
Mchunu, for his part, denies making any defamatory remarks or personally attacking Malema's character. He insists the full 20-minute interview should be weighed rather than isolated excerpts cherry-picked by the opposing side.
Mchunu Files a Counterclaim
The legal contest is not entirely one-sided. Mchunu has lodged a counterclaim against Malema, alleging that the EFF leader defamed him during an incident in January 2024. That counterclaim has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
Source: YEN.com.gh
