Cape Town - The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is yet to formally receive an apology from Matthew Theunissen, who landed himself in hot water after posting a racist comment on Facebook earlier this week.
Theunissen’s comments were directed at the government and the people it serves after the release of the EPG Transformation report.
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that a number of sporting codes would not be allowed to bid to host international events for not meeting transformation goals.
Theunissen took to social media to voice his concerns. “So no more sporting events for South Africa… I have never been more proud to say that our government are a bunch of k*****s… yes, I said it so go f*** yourselves you black f***ing c**ts,” he posted.
On Thursday, Independent Media received an open letter in the form of an apology, delivered by Theunissen’s father’s legal representative. The two-page apology addressed Mbalula, the people of South Africa and the SAHRC.
In the letter, Theunissen admits to “causing the sports minister personal pain” and requests a way “to make right the damage” caused by the Facebook post.
“I made the statement at the time out of anger and without restraint. While I had made attempts to remove the post once I had calmed down, the damage had clearly been done,” the letter read.
Theunissen does not consider himself a racist. However, he said: “My words would recently dictate otherwise.
“I furthermore learnt the important lesson that people will be quick to judge me by my actions when I have expected them to judge me by my intentions… I cannot over-empathise the regret I have for having done so and realise that there will be, at least in the near future, no possible way for my words used in this apology to convince you of my sincerity,” the letter read.
SAHRC spokesman Isaac Mangena said several complaints were laid, most of which were from Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille’s office.
“We will be in touch with all the relevant role players and ask Theunissen for a formal apology. If the complainants accept, we can seek a way forward. It is good that he (Theunissen) is apologising."
Mbalula’s spokesman Esethu Hasane said: “It would be up to the people to accept or reject his apology.”