The Gupta brothers today got an urgent interdict to stop the EFF from threatening them.
Judge Johan Louw granted an order in the High Court in Pretoria, interdicting the party, its leader Julius Malema and its Gauteng spokesperson Ntobeng Ntobeng from making threats of violence against the brothers Ajay, Atul, and Rajesh Gupta, and their employees.
The interdict was granted while EFF members were protesting outside the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, waving posters stating "Guptas must go", "Zupta's must fall" and "We'll fight war with war" and singing "Shoot Zuma, shoot the Guptas".
Louw said he would give reasons for his ruling later.
Nazeem Howa, CEO of the Gupta’s Oakbay Investments, which employs 4 500 employees, said: "It's a victory for democracy. People who live and trade in this country must have the freedom to act within the law at all times."
Malema said he was not inciting violence against the Guptas, and that it was simply part of robust political debate in an election year.
The court interdicted Malema and the EFF from calling for the removal of the Guptas from Gauteng or South Africa.
The party was interdicted from interfering with the activities of ANN7 and New Age journalists, and from preventing them from attending any public political event by any political party, including those of the EFF.
It may not incite violence against the Guptas, their employees, property or companies.
The SAPS was directed to protect the Guptas' interests if these were threatened by criminal activity resulting from the conduct of the EFF and its leaders.
On Thursday last week, Malema said journalists working for the Gupta-owned broadcaster ANN7 and its newspaper The New Age would no longer be welcome at EFF events and that the party could not guarantee their safety. He subsequently told the Guptas, who are South African citizens, to leave the country, or the situation "could become volatile".
Malema told reporters outside the Constitutional Court today that he intended appealing the outcome.
"The Guptas need to be challenged," Malema said.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptas-get-interdict-against-eff-20160209
