Barry Bateman engagement report

Best tweets

• Jun 8, 202628x their median

  🚨 NEW: A man has been arrested after an attempted beheading of another man in north Belfast tonight https://t.co/CFQirpQDwL

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• Aug 9, 20261.6x their median

  MEDIA STATEMENT: Julius Malema to face criminal prosecution for falsely accusing Bergview principal of rape Julius Malema, leader of the EFF, will face criminal prosecution after falsely accusing a school principal of rape. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit has succeeded in convincing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) that Malema should be prosecuted for crimen injuria after branding Jaco Pieterse, former Principal of Bergview College in Matatiele, a serial child rapist. With the support of the unit, Pieterse laid the criminal complaint at the Sophiatown Police Station in June last year. When a decision to prosecute Malema was not forthcoming, the unit made the representation to the NPA. Similar criminal complaints were also lodged against Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the ANC, and Fundile Gade, MEC for Education in the Eastern Cape, for making the same false allegation. The complaint against Malema stems from statements he made on 6 April 2025 at the party’s Land Reclamation Day at the Sophiatown Extreme Park in Johannesburg. At this event, Malema publicly claimed that a school principal raped a seven-year-old girl and alleged that the principal was being treated differently from other suspects. Malema also suggested that the principal may have committed similar offences in the past. The case involves a child who, according to her mother’s allegations, was raped at Bergview College in October 2024. Pieterse and the school caretaker – whom the unit also represents – became the targets of a vicious social media campaign in November of that year after the NPA declined to prosecute the case due to a lack of evidence. In May of last year, the NPA confirmed that it had decided not to prosecute anyone in connection with the alleged rape because, according to the NPA’s spokesperson, “there is no evidence of rape or sexual assault after the minor girl was interviewed and examined by medical practitioners and forensic social workers.” In the representations to the NPA on 18 June 2026, Advocate Gerrie Nel, Head of the unit, referred to Malema’s own approaches to the courts after he was publicly branded a drug dealer. “Malema, in his own words, has demonstrated a full appreciation of the profound impact false allegations of criminal impropriety have on the dignity of a person – because he has experienced it himself and has asked the courts to intervene. Malema understands that being falsely branded a criminal violates the fundamental human right to dignity and argues that such a right is worthy of protection,” said Nel. Nel argued that Malema also took swift steps to protect his dignity when a so-called celebrity-blogger publicly claimed that the politician and his wife were experiencing marital strife and were on the verge of divorce. “Malema’s lawyers said the claims subjected his children to ‘emotional harm and public scrutiny’, adding that Malema has been exposed to ‘ridicule, speculation, humiliation and reputational harm on a mass scale.’ The court agreed with Malema and ordered the blogger to apologise and retract the statements. “In this matter when Malema served a letter of demand on (the blogger), he also threatened to file a criminal complaint of crimen injuria with the South African Police Service (SAPS). Thus, well-informed of his right to dignity and privacy, he, without cause and on a public platform, called Pieterse a ‘rapist’,” concluded Nel. After hearing news of the NPA’s decision, Pieterse said it has lifted a huge weight off his shoulders and takes him another step closer to justice. “The false allegations have not only harmed me but have also caused immense pain to my family and friends. I trust that this process will vindicate me and ensure there is accountability for those who falsely accused others of committing vile crimes without any regard for the consequences. I hope the courts send a strong message that there are consequences for making such reckless and damaging allegations. I’ve become aware of many others who have experienced, and still experience daily, similar pain because of the thoughtless behaviour of so-called leaders. My hope is that this case will help protect ordinary citizens against politicians and people in power and hold them accountable,” said Pieterse. The instruction has been given to the Chief Prosecutor at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court to initiate prosecutions against Malema. It is not yet known when the matter will be enrolled. While the private prosecution unit is satisfied with the decision to prosecute Malema, it will continue its engagements with the NPA to ensure that both Mbalula and Gade are also prosecuted. The unit remains steadfast in its belief that no person should be shielded from prosecution because of their political connections or status in society.

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• May 25, 2026

  It is deeply disturbing that SAPS has apparently not been approached to open a criminal case, and that the GDE appears content to expose learners, teachers and staff to the risk of deadly firearm violence. On the information available, there is evidence of the following: - Voicenote threats to commit a “school shooting” and to “blow this place up”. - Threats to murder a specific teacher. (He pleaded guilty to making the threats) - Text messages suggesting attempts to procure a firearm. - Video footage showing access to a firearm. - Footage of the 16yo recklessly using a firearm. - Footage of the 16yo negligently handling a firearm. - A history of substance abuse. - Previous disregard for probationary or suspended sanctions. This is not merely a school disciplinary matter. It is a potential criminal case that demands urgent police intervention. Why would the SGB and the GDE not immediately approach the authorities? There is a credible threat of a school shooting and can’t be treated as school misconduct. Remember this case the next time the GDE responds to a deadly school incident and tells the public that they take school safety seriously. https://t.co/KFrEAlxABM

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• Aug 9, 2026

  Julius Malema to be prosecuted for his false statements about former Bergview school principal. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit’s representations to the NPA succeeded. We said there’d be consequences for the way Pieterse was treated. https://t.co/RSY15coE9b

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• Jun 26, 2026

  MEDIA STATEMENT: Serious questions after Hawks promote Madlanga witness facing criminal investigation In what appears to be yet another example of the authorities paying lip service to their commitment to rooting out corruption, Hawks Tactical Operations Head Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena, who gave evidence before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, has been promoted despite being under criminal investigation, and despite serious questions raised about his integrity under oath and filed in a case docket. He is accused of making fraudulent entries in a register to unlawfully claim overtime. The alleged conduct was reported by a subordinate 18 months ago, yet the Hawks’ anti-corruption section says the “investigation is continuing and statements must still be obtained”. The complainant, a warrant officer, approached AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit in November last year after Hawks management failed to investigate and act on the complaint. During his testimony before the Madlanga Commission in October last year, Mokoena was a brigadier, a rank above colonel, which was his rank when the complaint was filed in November 2024. Advocate Gerrie Nel, head of the Unit, says this failure to act stands in stark contrast to the speed with which action is often taken against people mentioned at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. “Although we criticise the appointment of commissions of inquiry to substitute police investigations, we have noted the sudden apparent efficiency of the SAPS in investigating certain matters “On this very aspect of investigating your own, we find it extraordinarily peculiar that a simple and uncomplicated allegation of misrepresentation relating to ‘overtime’ by a senior member of SAPS has, since 2024, resulted in your office repeatedly reporting ‘progress’ as part of an ongoing investigation. We must accept that your office has the necessary skills to deal with such matters,” said Nel. At the Madlanga Commission, Mokoena was accused of playing a significant role in efforts by the Hawks to disrupt the Political Killings Task Team’s arrest of Katiso Molefe on 6 December 2024. The commission criticised him for being evasive and inconsistent about his role in the incident. Meanwhile, since the fraud complaint was filed in November 2024, Hawks management has told the complainant that the matter remains under investigation, prompting the complainant to approach the Private Prosecution Unit in December last year. Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the unit, says the Hawks’ conduct in the case against Mokoena has exposed selective investigation. “While the Madlanga Commission has prompted public claims of a renewed commitment to accountability within the SAPS, developments behind the scenes suggest this is merely window dressing in response to the embarrassment of the revelations broadcast live almost every day for the past nine months. But what concerns the Private Prosecution Unit is the selective way law enforcement exercises its authority, and how this appears to be swayed by political expediency rather than a genuine commitment to addressing malfeasance within the ranks. This office was established to address selective prosecution and will apply pressure on the Hawks to conclude its investigation so that prosecution can follow if the State does not have the appetite to do so,” said Bateman. The Unit has asked the Hawks to provide a meaningful response to questions about the status of the investigation and an explanation for the inexplicable delay in finalising the matter.

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• Jun 12, 2026

  MEDIA STATEMENT: Alleged law enforcement coverup and complicity revealed in deadly street racing events The recent deadly crash during an illegal street race along Steve Biko Road in Gezina, Pretoria, has not only exposed an alleged police cover-up to protect those involved, but law enforcement’s possible complicity in organising and overseeing the weekly events. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit represents Frieda Bezuidenhout, whose son, Phillip, was a passenger in a Honda Ballade involved in a drag race on 3 May. Phillip died after the car collided with an uninvolved motorist’s vehicle before crashing into a pole. The Honda driver, Willie Momberg, as well the driver of the Renault, survived. Bezuidenhout’s family was informed that the South African Police Service (SAPS) are pursuing a culpable homicide case against the driver of the Renault. That section of road has been used for illegal street racing for decades and has seen numerous deadly crashes, yet the activity has continued unabated. The information and evidence the Private Prosecution Unit has now provided to the SAPS could explain how the active involvement of some law enforcement officers may have contributed to this thriving and deadly subculture of fast cars and high-powered engines. Video footage showing a maroon Honda Ballade colliding at high speed with the white Renault has been widely shared on social media. New footage that has emerged shows a person whose identity is known assaulting the injured Renault driver in front of SAPS officers who were, inexplicably, on the scene within seconds of the crash. It is alleged that some SAPS officers may have been part of a network of people involved in illegal racing and the organisation of these events. Several of the regular participants who appear to be publicly associated with some of the SAPS officers, openly brag about their conduct on social media, and even invite others to join by providing the dates, times and locations of the races. In a letter to the SAPS, Adv. Gerrie Nel, head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, says the race participants show no fear of the authorities clamping down on their illegal racing. “The failure of law enforcement to prevent the practice of holding road races on a public street, while other vehicles still have access to that street, is not only reprehensible, but may also support an argument that law enforcement was complicit in the reckless lawlessness that has yet again claimed a life. Members of the public must be able to use public roads at any time of day without fear that racing vehicles will endanger their safety,” says Nel. Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the Unit, says the fact that hundreds of spectators gather every Sunday to witness these illegal races creates the inescapable conclusion that law enforcement is involved or at least turning a blind eye to it. “This street race on this specific road was not a once-off or exceptional occurrence, but rather part of a well-established and organised practice of Sunday road races allowed and even supported by members of the SAPS. “The information and evidence we have gathered reveals a well-documented – and even arrogant – display of lawlessness on public roads by a group of people linked through a street-racing subculture that is thriving in the north of Pretoria. The social media accounts of several participants provide evidence of not only their races on Steve Biko Road, but also general reckless and dangerous driving on public streets in their high-powered vehicles. Considering the speed and efficiency with which the SAPS recently secured social media evidence in a well-publicised case against a politician, the public must expect the same urgency in securing evidence where the conduct in question could kill or maim innocent motorists and pedestrians. Failure to do so will surely confirm suspicions of police involvement or a cover-up,” says Bateman.

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• Aug 23, 2026

  New data shows that South Africans earning more than R50,000 a month, or R600,000 a year, are under significant pressure. https://t.co/J9bylplcT0

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• May 18, 2026

  [BREAKING NEWS] Case against Joe 'Ferrari' Sibanyoni, Bafana Sindane, Mvimbi Daniel Masilela and Philemon Msiza struck off the roll. #Newzroom405 https://t.co/EZmILpqwmC

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• Jun 27, 2026

  The final panel takes on one of the day's most controversial topics. Brendan O'Neill, Lionel Shriver, Fiyaz Mughal and Tom Slater discuss Islam, the left and the West. #SpikedSummit https://t.co/eDD30QJaY2

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• May 18, 2026

  WATCH | Following the case against Joe Sibanyoni and his co-accused being struck off the roll at the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court today, legal analyst Zola Majavu says the development is not unusual, as it is provided for in the Criminal Procedure Act. https://t.co/xb1QzqEg7i

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