EFF student leader suspended after 'kill whites' post

Luvuyo Menziwa, EFF member of the SRC at the University of Pretoria, expressed hate speech against white people on social media.

Luvuyo Menziwa, EFF member of the SRC at the University of Pretoria, expressed hate speech against white people on social media.

Published Aug 31, 2016

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Pretoria - Luvuyo Menziwa, EFF Student Command senior official at the University of Pretoria, has been suspended from the SRC for posting on Facebook on Monday that he hated whites and would shoot them.

Menziwa, who occupies the student finance portfolio in the SRC, was summoned to the disciplinary committee on Tuesdayand slapped with a suspension with immediate effect.

He has been given until Friday to vacate his office.

In the post, Menziwa listed five reasons why he hated white people - white privilege, dominance, monopoly capital, arrogance and superiority. He said: "F*** white people. Just get me a bazooka or AK-47 so I can do the right thing and kill these demon possessed humans."

Menziwa followed that up with what he said was a quote by Steve Biko which read: "The basic tenet of black consciousness is that the black man must reject all value systems that seek to make him a foreigner in the country of his birth and reduce his basic human dignity."

However, a defiant Menziwa denied he was against white people or that he wanted to kill them.

"My intention was not to offend or threaten anyone, but to raise my grievances around the racism and lack of transformation.

"Unfortunately, with the emotions and so forth, I failed to elaborate further to clarify what I meant by bazooka and AK-47," Menziwa said.

He said he meant that he wanted to arm himself with sufficient information to engage and kill the whole mentality of white arrogance and white supremacy.

"I find lack of transformation on racism dehumanising to the black community, but unfortunately when I thought I elaborated, I actually didn't and now my post is perceived as a hate speech and threat to the white community," he said.

Menziwa referred to the mass action at Pretoria High School for Girls and campaigns such as #AfrikaansMustFall.

He said all the actions pointed out a common message that there was a general need for the government to engage robustly and crush out all the societal injustices and inequalities.

"After 22 years of democracy we still have protests and marches that seek to redress the legacy of apartheid, whereas we should be focusing on moving the country forward as a united society," said Menziwa.

Trade union Solidarity said Menziwa should be dismissed from his position effective immediately and face criminal charges.

Its spokesman at Tuks, Jahni Cowley, said the kind of statements Menziwa made should not be taken lightly.

"Our members cannot be expected to turn up for work while a self-confessed murderous student is roaming free on campus.

"We will do all we can to protect our members in the workplace, even if it means not going to work until Menziwa has been suspended," said Cowley.

University of Pretoria spokeswoman Anna-Retha Bouwer said hate speech and incitement to violence would not be tolerated at the university.

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