Malema demands R1m compensation from Kenny Kunene for calling him a ‘cockroach’

12 January 2022 - 11:37
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EFF leader Julius Malema has filed papers with the Equality Court and is demanding R1m compensation from Kenny Kunene for calling him a “little frog” and an “irritating cockroach” .
EFF leader Julius Malema has filed papers with the Equality Court and is demanding R1m compensation from Kenny Kunene for calling him a “little frog” and an “irritating cockroach” .
Image: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo

Squabbles between EFF leader Julius Malema and Patriotic Alliance (PA) deputy president Kenny Kunene continue to play out in public. 

Malema, according to a report in The Citizen, has filed papers with the Equality Court and is demanding R1m compensation from Kunene for calling him a “little frog” and an “irritating cockroach” during an interview in November.

It is reported the EFF leader was also demanding an apology from Kunene, saying the use of the term “cockroach” was deliberate and intentional. 

Speaking to IOL, Kunene confirmed he had received the court papers but would not apologise. 

Kunene said he stood by his words.

“Malema behaves like a schoolboy who bullies other kids, but when they slap him, he is the first one to run to the schoolmaster to complain he was being bullied,” said Kunene. 

“Tell him to bring it on. I will never apologise and I stand by my words because, to me, he is irritating, like a cockroach. He has insulted us, calling us bandits and criminals, but we are not bandits and criminals. We are ex-criminals. He must stop behaving like a crybaby or sissy boy.”

The pair’s feud dates back to an eNCA interview Kunene did soon after last year’s local government elections.

In the interview, Kunene said he would “deal” with Malema and threatened to expose him. 

This after Malema said he cannot imagine his party working with the PA, calling them ex-convicts. 

“Once I am done, I will then deal with this little frog. Julius is just an irritating cockroach I must now deal with publicly,” Kunene said at the time. 

“When I meet him, he must tell me I am a bantiti [convict] to my face. In the meantime, I will be calling the media and addressing all these issues publicly. After we have done what our people have voted for us to do, we want to conclude our coalitions and set up our governments, and then I will deal with this little cockroach.”

Kunene isn’t the only one who has likened Malema to a cockroach. 

In 2015, former National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete called Malema a cockroach when she was speaking in her capacity as ANC national chairperson.

“If we don’t work we will continue to have cockroaches like Malema roaming all over the place,” she said at the time.

Mbete later issued an apology to Malema, saying: “I have concluded that my remarks — all offending statements I made — were inappropriate.

“I withdraw my remarks unreservedly. I apologise unconditionally to South Africans, to parliament and to the honourable Julius Malema for any hurt or harm I may have caused.”

TimesLIVE


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