S/A court finds youth leader Malema guilty of hate speech

Julius Malema, ANC Youth Leader

S/A court finds youth leader Malema guilty of hate speech

South African ANC Youth League leader, Julius Malema has been pronounced guilty by a court in the country.

The court ruled on Monday Malema was guilty of hate speech for singing an apartheid-era song that advocated the killing the white farmers.

"I find the words uttered by Malema constituting hate speech", said Judge Collin Lamont.

Malema was ordered to pay court costs in the civil case that did not carry a criminal penalty.

The verdict against Malema came as he fought for his political survival in a separate disciplinary case brought by the ruling African National Congress, which has charged him with bringing the party into disrepute.

The Afrikaner civil rights group, Afriforum took the case to the South Gauteng High Court claiming white farmers felt vulnerable because of the song.

Meanwhile, report says that 30-year-old Malema, who was seen as a future leader of the ANC, was not present in court as the time of the rulling.

NAN/Shakira