Cape Town – Magistrate Twanet Olivier assured everyone of her punctuality after an incident in the East London court involving an outburst by Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Malema had strongly criticised Olivier for her tardiness in his court case.
The case involves charges related to the discharge of a firearm during his party’s fifth-anniversary celebrations in 2018.
Malema is facing these charges alongside his bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman.
Malema expressed frustration with the delay, stating that they had been waiting for five years and that justice should never be delayed. He said that no one, including magistrates and prosecutors, should disrespect them like that.
“She has never been early to any court. She says come at 12, we come at 12, she’s never here. We must not talk because we are scared to go to jail? It can’t be. We are being disrespected. We have rights and our rights have to be respected,” said Malema.
♦️Must Watch♦️
CIC @Julius_S_Malema in the East London Magistrates Court addressing the fact that the presiding Magistrate has been late to every appearance for the past 5-Years
The dysfunctional state of our courts due to load-shedding is made worse by ill-disciplined… pic.twitter.com/bxla3lYZ6K
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 13, 2023
He added: “Five years we’ve been here, she has never been on time. She’s not above the law, she’s not the law. She has a duty to respect us. No journalist has written about that, about her ill discipline or coming late to court. I’m not that type to keep quiet when nonsense happens. Nonsense is nonsense, I don’t care who does it, a judge or a magistrate, its rubbish. We have been too quiet for five years of disrespect.”
The hearing eventually started after over an hour of waiting.
Olivier adjourned the matter to Thursday, expressing a lack of awareness about when Malema and the media were ready for proceedings to begin.
“I don’t know when you have set up and when the media has set up everything. I’m told they are busy setting up everything once the court is opened, so when you are actually ready, I don’t know. My office is a five-minute walk from here,” she said.
She asked to be informed when they were prepared to proceed.
♦️Must Watch♦️
Magistrate Twanet Olivier vowing to be on time for Court Proceedings after CIC @Julius_S_Malema strongly condemned her lateness to every appearance for the past 5-Years in the East Landon Magistrate’s Court.
Justice Must Never Be Delayed, No One Is Above The Law!… pic.twitter.com/CNrinxk1iJ
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) September 13, 2023
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
