South Africans Divided as Multiple Civil Society Groups Call for Julius Malema’s Removal from JSC

• Several civil society organisations have called for Julius Malema to be removed from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)
• This comes after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) commander-in-chief was found guilty on several charges relating to firearms
• South Africans shared mixed reactions to what the civil society organisations had to say about Malema

Multiple civil rights organisations have called for the removal of the EFF leader, Julius Malema, from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

What did the civil rights groups say?

The organisations feel that Malema's recent criminal conviction and history of legal transgressions make him unfit to serve on the body responsible for selecting judges. On Friday, 3 October 2025, Freedom Under Law, Defend Our Democracy, and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution said in a joint statement that the conviction of the EFF leader for unlawfully possessing and discharging a firearm in public indicates that he is not a fit and proper person to serve on the JSC.

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The groups said that this is not Malema's first clash with the law. In August, the Equality Court found that several of Malema's statements constituted hate speech, while in May, the High Court upheld Parliament’s ruling that Malema had violated its code of ethics by using a 2021 JSC interview to further his personal political interests.

The organisations stated that the findings by the courts are very serious and that Malema acted not only unlawfully by also criminally. They warned that Malema’s continued presence on the JSC threatened the credibility of the institution and the judiciary itself.

Role of the JSC

The statement noted that the JSC plays a key role in appointing judges, who are responsible for upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. The groups said that allowing someone facing ongoing legal proceedings and who had made statements critical of the judiciary to participate in the judicial selection process could undermine public confidence in the JSC, the process of selecting judges, and the credibility of the judiciary as a whole.

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The organisations said that Malema’s unfounded description of the judiciary as a racist body, along with his racial attack on a magistrate, undermines the judiciary. They added that it was inappropriate for the leader of a political party holding such views to be involved in the selection of judges.

The organisations urged Malema to resign from the JSC. They added that if he refused, the National Assembly should take steps to remove him from the position.

South Africans weigh in

Social media users shared their opinions regarding the statements by the civil rights group.

@SekesM said:

"Afriforum did what it did, but when are we going to have a conversation about disunity within black communities? Malema wouldn’t be persecuted like this if we were united."

@ALETTAHA said:

"He absolutely has to be removed. He should never have been in that position in the first place."

@Patricia_Bantom said:

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"He must also be removed in parliament. He is a danger to the government."

@Badi_Mol said:

"He has the right to appeal the racist judgement until Concourt.Don't celebrate too early."

@AyandaLent9780 said:

"We can't compromise our constitutional-democracy for the sake of Julius Malema."

3 More stories about Julius Malema

• Briefly News also reported that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president slammed the United Kingdom for refusing to allow him into the country.
• The president of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema, is gearing up to fight the conviction handed to him.
• Julius Malema shared his thoughts on the National Dialogue and why he doesn't think it's a good idea.

Source: Briefly News