'Let's meet in court': Boy Mamabolo to Malema and wife over legal threat

ANC MP Boy Mamabolo says he is ready to square up to EFF leader Julius Malema in court after he faced a legal threat for suggesting during the state of the nation address (Sona) debate that his former political ally abused his wife.

Legal papers were served on Mamabolo on Tuesday by attorneys representing Malema's wife Mantoa Matlala. The lawyers said Mamabolo needed to apologise - and that failure to do so would lead to him being sued for R1m.

Mamabolo and the EFF both took to Twitter to share the legal brief.

The letter from Ian Levitt Attorneys reads: “Our client has approached our offices in regard to the defamatory statements made against her by you.

“As you are well aware, these defamatory statements were made by you during the state of the nation address in parliament and furthermore repeated to the Sowetan newspaper to be published on February 17.

“Should you fail to [apologise], we hold instructions to institute further legal action against you, which action will institute damages against our client in the amount of R1m and seek punitive costs against you.”

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Mamabolo, who served alongside Malema when he was still part of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), had used his parliamentary privilege on Tuesday to level the allegation against Malema.

While Malema was responding to President Cyril Ramaphosa's Sona address during Tuesday's debate, Mamabolo stood on a point of order and then directly asked the EFF leader to confirm or deny allegations that he physically abused his wife.

The legal letter says the allegations are simply not true.

“For any avoidance of doubt, we hereby repeat that your utterances are vexatious, misplaced, spurious and untrue,” it states, adding that they had tarnished Malema's image and affected his children.

“Our client has small children, the oldest being 13 years old. Your false accusations have now cast a dark cloud over the entire family. These children now need to attend schooling and be mocked [and] ridiculed due to the false accusations levelled against their parents.”

The letter further criticises Mamabolo, accusing him of making a mockery of gender-based violence, especially in the country’s current climate.

However, Mamabolo did not appear to be backing down on Wednesday when he tweeted: "Let's meet in court."

Taking to his personal Twitter account, Malema emphasised that he is not a woman basher.

“I have nothing to fear or hide - hence the legal action, so that all can come [out in] the open. I never laid a hand on any woman, my wife in particular, including all children,” he tweeted.

Mamabolo earlier took to his Twitter page to express shock at the action.

“Now we are being sued for raising matters in parliament,” he said.