Julius Malema launches urgent contempt application against Ngizwe Mchunu

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has filed an urgent contempt of court application in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria against social commentator Ngizwe Mchunu, accusing him of continuing to make defamatory statements despite a recent court order.

What Malema is asking the court to do

According to a statement posted on social media by the EFF and Malema, the application seeks an order declaring Mchunu guilty of contempt of court and sentencing him to six months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.

Allegations and legal timeline

The EFF alleges that Mchunu “

intentionally and unlawfully continued making defamatory statements

” about Malema despite a court order granted on June 5, 2026, and that he “

intentionally and unlawfully refused to comply with and respect that order

”.

Court documents filed in the Gauteng Division of the High Court show the matter is set down for hearing on June 17 at 10:00am. In the notice of motion, Malema asked the court to condone non-compliance with the usual court rules and to hear the matter as one of urgency in terms of Uniform Rule 6(12).

Parties and procedural steps

The respondents listed in the application are Ngizwe Mchunu, the Minister of Police, and the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service. The papers direct Mchunu to notify Malema’s attorneys, England Slabbert Attorneys Inc., by June 8 at 2:00pm if he intends to oppose the application, and to file an answering affidavit by June 10 at 5:00pm. Malema may submit a replying affidavit, if necessary, by June 11 at 12:00 noon.

Background to the latest filing

The papers note that earlier this month Mchunu retracted statements he had made about Malema following a court ruling. He later issued an apology to both the court and Malema after being found guilty of contempt of court. The EFF now argues that despite that earlier ruling and apology, Mchunu continued making remarks in violation of the court order.

Next steps

The matter is expected to return to court on June 17 for the urgent contempt application to be heard.