The EFF's Floyd Shivambu has failed in his bid to avoid standing trial for allegedly assaulting a journalist in March 2018.

The National Prosecuting Authority on Thursday said it had received submissions from Shivambu on why the matter should be thrown out of court.

“Nyiko Floyd Shivambu submitted representations to the NPA‚ which have been denied. His case has been postponed to February 11 2021 for trial‚” the NPA said.

The alleged assault happened at the parliamentary precinct and was caught on camera. On the receiving end of Shivambu's wrath was Media24 photographer Adrian de Kock.

De Kock had been waiting with other journalists outside the building where then Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille's disciplinary hearing was taking place.

He reportedly saw Shivambu‚ asked if he wanted to comment about the hearing‚ and took pictures of the politician.

Shivambu then insisted that De Kock delete the images because he had not given consent for them to be taken.

“Leave my stuff alone!” the journalist was heard yelling as he was apparently manhandled by Shivambu.

Shivambu then walked away‚ while one of his companions continued to confront De Kock.

“Floyd grabbed my throat‚ saying‚ ‘You don’t have permission’‚” De Kock told TimesLIVE at the time.

The photographer laid assault charges with the police.

After the incident‚ Shivambu said he regretted it and expressed his intent to write a formal apology to the journalist.

However‚ he labelled the incident as “a scuffle” and said he did not regard it as an “assault” on De Kock - or on media freedom.

“I accept that my impatience with the gentleman was inappropriate‚” Shivambu said at the time.

TimesLIVE