Twitter investigates Malema's 'Thank you God’ tweet after German complaint, takes no action

12 November 2021 - 12:00
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EFF leader Julius Malema was not fazed by the complaint against him. File photo.
EFF leader Julius Malema was not fazed by the complaint against him. File photo.
Image: Freddy Mavunda/Business Day

Twitter investigated and cleared EFF leader Julius Malema after it received a complaint from Germany about his controversial “Thank you God” tweet.

Malema had social media in a huff on Thursday with the cryptic tweet posted moments after news of former president FW de Klerk’s death. The last apartheid president died at his home in Cape Town on Thursday at the age of 85. 

It was not clear what Malema’s tweet was in reference to, but many on social media speculated it may have been related to news of De Klerk’s death.

When approached by TimesLIVE, Malema refused to comment.

The tweet split opinions and, according to a screenshot posted by Malema on Friday, received complaints from as far away as Germany.

“Twitter is required by German law to provide notice to users who are reported by people from Germany via the Network Enforcement Act reporting flow. We have received a complaint regarding your account for the following content: ‘Thank you God’,” a notice from Twitter read.

Twitter found the tweet was “not subject to removal under the Twitter rules” and took no action against Malema.

The EFF leader was not fazed by the complaint against him and said his critics did not want him to be happy.

Malema also retweeted several messages about De Klerk’s legacy and later slammed those ”spreading fake news” by referring to him as a “former president”.

“He is a former apartheid president. Stop misleading the kids. Fake, fake, fake.”


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