The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it will take the now-suspended DA MP Renaldo Gouws to the Equality Court in Gqeberha over his tirade in which he used the N and K-words to refer to black people.
The commission's spokesperson Wisani Baloyi said in a statement on Thursday that Gouws' utterances constitute hate speech and/or harassment as contemplated in terms of sections 10 and 11 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination.
In a video that has surfaced on social media, Gouws calls for the killing of black people.
In it he says: “Alright, so there's a couple of things I want to say, kill the f***ing k****ers. Kill all the f***ing n***gers. That is all I've got to say. Kill the f***ing k***ers, kill the f***ing n***gers.”
Baloyi said the commission was tagged by aggrieved citizens on social media seeking that it intervenes in the matter.
“The explicit content, initially published on Gouws' YouTube channel in March 2010, was archived despite being deleted and has resurfaced, revealing behaviour that is incompatible with the principles of dignity and equality enshrined in South African law,” Baloyi said.
“The Commission is empowered in terms of section 13(3)(b) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013 (SAHRC Act), to bring proceedings in a competent court or tribunal in its own name or on behalf of a person or a group or class of persons.
“Given Mr Gouw’s position as a member of parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility, as he is expected to uphold and embody the principles enshrined in the constitution, including human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.”
The DA's communications director Richard Newton said Gouws was suspended with immediate effect and also faces disciplinary charges before the party's Federal Legal Commission.
“The DA has established that the video, in which Renaldo Gouws uses execrable language, is in fact genuine and not a fake as initially suspected,” Newton said.
An online petition calling for Gouws' removal from parliament and which was started this week has garnered more than 50,000 signatures.
Chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za
SAHRC to take Gouws to court over racial remarks
Image: Eugene Coetzee
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it will take the now-suspended DA MP Renaldo Gouws to the Equality Court in Gqeberha over his tirade in which he used the N and K-words to refer to black people.
The commission's spokesperson Wisani Baloyi said in a statement on Thursday that Gouws' utterances constitute hate speech and/or harassment as contemplated in terms of sections 10 and 11 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination.
In a video that has surfaced on social media, Gouws calls for the killing of black people.
In it he says: “Alright, so there's a couple of things I want to say, kill the f***ing k****ers. Kill all the f***ing n***gers. That is all I've got to say. Kill the f***ing k***ers, kill the f***ing n***gers.”
Baloyi said the commission was tagged by aggrieved citizens on social media seeking that it intervenes in the matter.
“The explicit content, initially published on Gouws' YouTube channel in March 2010, was archived despite being deleted and has resurfaced, revealing behaviour that is incompatible with the principles of dignity and equality enshrined in South African law,” Baloyi said.
“The Commission is empowered in terms of section 13(3)(b) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013 (SAHRC Act), to bring proceedings in a competent court or tribunal in its own name or on behalf of a person or a group or class of persons.
“Given Mr Gouw’s position as a member of parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility, as he is expected to uphold and embody the principles enshrined in the constitution, including human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.”
The DA's communications director Richard Newton said Gouws was suspended with immediate effect and also faces disciplinary charges before the party's Federal Legal Commission.
“The DA has established that the video, in which Renaldo Gouws uses execrable language, is in fact genuine and not a fake as initially suspected,” Newton said.
An online petition calling for Gouws' removal from parliament and which was started this week has garnered more than 50,000 signatures.
Chabalalaj@sowetan.co.za
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