EFF leader Julius Malema's lawyer Tumi Mokwena told the Polokwane High Court on Tuesday that he shot one of citrus farmworkers because he would have wasted his time to escape the violent scene.

Mokwena said he had no time to be fighting over a gun with Maile Mamokhere whom he shot on the he hand.

"There was no time, I had to shoot and run. I couldn't stay in the office because I had no ammunition size of an army to shoot at more than hundreds people. He [Mamokhere] was very close to me and kept on approaching me while holding a rock in his hand. He kept on saying he is not afraid of the gun," said Mokwena.

Prosecutor Johann Kotzee insisted that Mokwena's life was not in danger.

"Two witnesses, a security guard and supervisor Magezi Mboweni and farm general manager Jakobus Sawnepoel, have said before this court that your life was not in danger and nobody carried dangerous weapons," said Kotzee.

Communal Property Association chairperson Ben Takalo says workers at the Zebediela Citrus Farm wanted Mokwena removed from his position after he reneged on his promise to pay salaries and find investors.

Mokwena was the farm's managing director.