EFF MP Marshall Dlamini in court for 'Sona slap' of police officer

EFF MP Marshall Dlamini appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Wednesday for allegedly slapping a police officer after the state of the nation address (Sona).

Dressed in black, Dlamini and party secretary general Godrich Gardee posed for photographs with court staff as a defence attorney negotiated for the case to be postponed so that it could go to full trial.

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Dlamini was filmed allegedly slapping a police officer in parliament immediately after Sona in February.

Charges of assault were laid by a male warrant officer and a female sergeant, police spokesperson Brig Vishnu Naidoo said at the time.

The EFF had earlier claimed the scuffle was in response to a death threat against party leader Julius Malema.

Dlamini said at the time that he was dealing with a "racist clown" when the warrant officer was struck.

Speaking at the Durban University of Technology during the memorial of slain student Mlungisi Madonsela, Dlamini said: "Some racist clown got overzealous in parliament and we sorted him out. We will never apologise to or succumb to racists."

The case on Wednesday was postponed until July 10 for pre-trial.