Cape Town - Health MEC Theuns Botha was forced to apologise for using the word bobbejaan (baboon) during a debate in the Western Cape legislature.
Botha, deputy DA leader in the province, shouted “’n bobbejaan sê hoe” (a baboon says how) to ANC MPL Ntombizodwa Magwaza in a debate last month. The debate was on employment equity.
Speaker Richard Majola said he investigated the matter after ANC MPL Mcebisi Skwatsha raised a point of order about Botha’s utterances.
He said he had called Botha to a meeting and asked him to explain what he said. Botha told Majola his words were “’n bobbejaan maak hô” (a baboon makes hoh) and that he didn’t call Magwaza a baboon.
“Botha went on to say that he would never do so because he loved the honourable (Magwaza) too much,” Majola told the legislature.
Majola said that after close inspection of Hansard records, it was clear Botha had said “’n bobbejaan sê hoe”. Botha’s utterances were preceded by requests from him to Magwaza that she had to stop side commentary during the debate.
He accepted Botha’s explanation. “But given the racist undertone of the word bobbejaan and the fact that… words could be construed as referring to a member of the house, I (ask) honourable Botha to withdraw the remarks and apologise,” he said.
Botha apologised and withdrew his statement.
Cape Times