Cape Town - The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has called on Parliament to fast track signing the hate speech Bill into law in the wake of Vanessa Hartley’s racist rant on Facebook.
Acting chairman of the SAHRC Mohamed Ameermia confirmed that the Western Cape office was investigating complaints lodged against Hartley.
“It is totally unacceptable and outrageous. We need to put a stop to this immediately and we are calling on Parliament to fast track the national plan to criminalise hate speech.
“It is shocking that every time we go on holiday mode such things start to pop up. We can’t allow this to continue,” said Ameermia.
A screengrab of Hartley’s racist post went viral on Sunday.
In it, she claimed “too many Africans” were coming into Hout Bay and suggested residents sign a petition to keep them out.
“They (are) like animals,” she wrote, who should be bound with ropes.
On Monday she posted an apology before deleting her account.
“Hi. I would like to apologise for the comment that was made on Facebook via my phone as my phone was left at the bar and someone thought they were very funny, but now they upset me and a lot of people. I am sorry for leaving my phone lying around and here is my public apology.”
Roscoe Jacobs of the Hout Bay Civic Association said they had lodged a complaint with the police, with police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel André Traut confirming that a case of crimen injuria was being investigated.
The Western Cape office of the ANC also weighed in.
“We reject Vanessa Hartley’s racist rants as both a distorted view of what this country is about and certainly not representing the majority of our people in this province,” regional spokesman, Yonela Diko said.