EFF leader Julius Malema says the Red Berets will fund the funeral costs of Mthokozisi Ntumba, the 35-year-old bystander who was shot dead during protests outside Wits University last week.
Malema visited Ntumba’s Kempton Park home on Sunday, where he also availed lawyers for the family so that they could sue the state for the man’s death.
Ntumba was shot dead, allegedly by police rubber bullets, after he had just seen a medical doctor. He was caught in the middle of running clashes between the police and protesting students.
On Monday, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said four police officers had been charged for the Ntumba’s murder. They are also facing three attempted murder charges and defeating the ends of justice.
They are expected to appear at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
On Sunday, Malema took a dig at Minister of Police Bheki Cele and the ANC government, saying they did not care for black people.
“We will make sure that the government pays,” he said, speaking through a loud-hailer outside Ntumba’s home. “We will make sure he receives a dignified funeral. They might have killed him like a dog, but he will never be a buried like a dog,” said Malema.
Malema said the EFF would take care of the funeral costs related to Ntumba’s burial. He is expected to be buried in KwaZulu-Natal this week and Malema said the family should not worry about the costs for the funerals and related services.
“The money for the burial will come from us. Bheki Cele came here posturing, pretending to be caring, saying he will take care of the family – but when the family contacted them, they were asked if he did not have a funeral policy or a burial society,” said Malema.
Cele’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Temba, said they had not discussed the issue of funeral arrangements when they met the Ntumba family last week. She said Cele committed that the SAPS would co-operate fully with the Ipid with the investigation into Ntumba’s death.
“It is important to note that at no point did minister Cele discuss funeral arrangements with the family during his visit or subsequently. Neither did the family at this early stage in their bereavement, express specific financial needs to the minister.
“General Cele takes exception to the remarks made by EFF leader Julius Malema, suggesting that he has reneged on an alleged promise to the family for burial arrangements and payments,” said Temba.
Malema said they were funding the funeral, but it was the family who would decide how they wanted to bury Ntumba.
“We are going to support them both here and in KZN, we are going to make sure everything is done in a dignified way,” he said.
Cele fired back at Malema and said it was irresponsible for a political leader to politicize Ntumba’s death.
“It is an absolutely heartless move by any political party or its leadership to lie to its followers and to the nation by using the pain of a family who suffered such a devastating loss of a father, a husband and a breadwinner, to push a political agenda in a desperate attempt to gain political mileage,” said Cele.
Speaking on the student protests around the country, Malema said the EFF Students Command was doing a “good job” and that they would intervene if necessary.
“If the EFF Students Command is overpowered, we will go there running,” he said.
On Monday, students across the country began a national shutdown calling for students to be cleared of historic debt. This led to clashes between students and the police in the afternoon, with a female student being shot and wounded with an alleged rubber bullet on the leg.
Protests are expected to continue throughout the week.
-IOL
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