'We were denied dignity in mourning' — Ndlozi on Madikizela-Mandela funeral confrontation

EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has described the altercation with a police officer at the Fourways Memorial Park in 2018 as a “fundamental” violation of his rights, adding he felt humiliated.

“We were denied our freedom to move or to access the cemetery, we were denied the dignity to mourn someone we had a relationship with. It was a fundamental humiliation,” he testified in court.

EFF leader Julius Malema and Ndlozi are charged with assaulting the police officer at the funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in April 2018.

When state prosecutor Michelle Hart asked him about Lt-Col Johannes Jacobus Venter's humiliation, Ndlozi said footage of the incident was released to further humiliate him and Malema.

“Videos were released subsequently not really for Mr Venter, but for our humiliation. I am very much surprised. No-one knew this video until we came to this court. The footage was not known.

“He was not humiliated, this video didn't happen in front of the world.

“Venter represents the state, he is representing an institution that must oversee that the funeral goes without any incident. He is a powerful man in relation to this particular instance. Power relations are on his side,” he said.

Magistrate Lieland Poonsamy postponed the case to September 29 for judgment.

Both Malema and Ndlozi pleaded not guilty.

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