AfriForum want Malema held in contempt of court over Stellenbosch land comments

AfriForum is seeking to hold Julius Malema in contempt of court for recent statements urging land occupation in Stellenbosch. The civil society group has filed a complaint with the High Court in Pretoria, requesting a fine of R500,000 for Malema and the EFF, or an 18-month jail term. AfriForum was given an interdict against Malema in 2017, which prevents him from inciting land occupation without proper permission.

The organization claims Malema violated this order through his comments at the University of Limpopo on 23 July and a social media post in April 2025. AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel emphasized the importance of the rule of law, stating that the case is about everyone being bound by court orders, not just ordinary citizens. The EFF has previously challenged the court order all the way to the Supreme Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court, which both dismissed the EFF's attempts.

Malema and the EFF argue that AfriForum's pursuit of the interdict is motivated by white supremacist, racist, and anti-black ideologies, and that a verdict in AfriForum's favor would only reinforce the notion that the courts are controlled by the white establishment. AfriForum remains committed to fighting for equality before the law by holding those who break the law accountable through legal action.