President Jacob Zuma has to respond at latest May 8, 2015 on charges of hate speech that the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) are investigating against him for his comments about Jan van Riebeeck in January this year.
“The FF Plus laid a complaint against Pres. Zuma at the SAHRC shortly after he made the statements and argued that it amounted to hate speech against white people, “Anton Alberts, spokesman for the party said in a statement.
President Zuma among others said the country’s problems began with the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck in South Africa, and many battles, wars, deaths, land grabbing and dispossession of the indigenous people’s political and economic power, followed.
“The FF Plus is of the opinion that the statements are polarized on a racial basis, and a rough offensive against all white people in the country,” Alberts added. “It is unpresidential to make such statements in a country that is diverse and where the head of state overrules all.”
Alberts said the controversial statements come down to hate speech because white people are being made the scapegoat for everything that went wrong in the country since 1652.
“The fact that the SAHRC decided to confront the president on this, and to ask for answers, already sent a strong message that people can not declare outright statements that promote hate speech and a disadvantage on others.
Source – Maroela Media
South Africa Today – South Africa News
