Julius Malema’s life was in danger and VIP protection guards will now watch over him around the clock, the Police Ministry said on Saturday.
Spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said a threat analysis conducted by crime intelligence officers revealed that the ANC Youth League leader needed protection.
”He wrote us a letter saying his life was in danger. Our crime intelligence then investigated and sent recommendations to the police Commissioner.
”Based on those findings, VIP protection was then decided on,” Mnisi said.
He would not elaborate on the findings of the investigation and denied newspaper reports that Malema had received death threats.
”I cant disclose the nature of the threats and I categorically deny saying he had received death threats,” he said.
ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu also declined to discuss the matter.
The ANC said in a statement on Saturday that it was ”worried” by the threats and that Malema was entitled to protection despite opposition parties saying it was an ”outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money”.
”It is unthinkable that these opposition parties could equate the security threat towards comrade Julius as a ‘status thing and a waste of resources’.
”Prominent leaders of political parties are entitled to VIP protection as and when their personal lives are under threat,” said national ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu.
He said reactions by the Democratic Alliance and the Independent Democrats to the matter were ”outrageous and insensitive”.
But Democratic Alliance spokesperson Dianne Kohler Barnard maintained that Malema was not entitled to VIP protection.
”Since when does the state pay for members of political parties to receive protection? This man is not a politician … he’s merely a head of one wing within a unit of the ANC. What right do they have to spend taxpayers’ money on him?
”I think it is outrageous that they are using taxpayers’ money on this man when he is the one who threatens to kill people … he brought this on himself,” she said. – Sapa