EFF pro bono team to defend Zindzi Mandela

A team of pro bono lawyers and volunteers is being put together by Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi to defend Ambassador Zindzi Mandela, daughter of Nelson Mandela, in the hate speech complaint AfriForum laid over her #OurLand tweets, says a News24 report. ‘I was asked by (EFF leader) Julius Malema to volunteer, which I agreed to,’ he said. ’The aim is to defend Ms Mandela in regard to the complaint lodged by AfriForum at the SA Human Rights Commission for hate speech. ‘We believe that there is no hate speech even if her speech is misguided. Moreover, complaints such as this by AfriForum can be used (to) silence voices which are critical of the racial inequalities in SA. Ms Mandela has the right to freedom of expression which includes the right to say unpopular and offensive things. Hate speech laws should not be used to intimidate critics of racism and inequality.’ The complaint against Mandela followed a sudden flurry of tweets regarding land, including: ‘Dear Apartheid Apologists, your time is over. You will not rule again. We do not fear you. Finally #TheLandIsOurs.’