Johannesburg - The Economic Freedom Fighters has failed the moral test with its failure to expel a Tshwane candidate councillor for racist remarks, says the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco).
Sanco lauded the Electoral Court's decision to disqualify Tshwane EFF candidate councillor Thabo Mabotja, who called for whites to be hacked and killed from participation in the local government elections on August 3, Sanco national spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said.
“The EFF had failed the moral test through its failure to dismiss him from the party because he had taken [his] cue from its senior leadership which propagates [a] culture of violence, lawlessness, and racial hatred.
“Simply distancing itself from Mabotja's utterances was not enough,” he said.
Earlier, Mahlangu called for additional criminal charges to be formulated against Mabotja for hate speech and inciting violence.
He said similar action should have been taken long ago against EFF leader Julius Malema and the leadership collective of the EFF for encouraging land invasions, violent protests, and anarchy across the country.
“An affront to our constitutional democracy as well as abuse of freedom of speech should be met with harsh action to defend the supremacy of the Constitution as well as entrench reconciliation, nation-building, and social cohesion.”
The speedy conclusion of the Mabotja case had demonstrated the intolerance of the courts towards hate speech and incitement of violence and sent a strong message to those planning to disrupt the August 3 local government elections.
“We urge our communities to isolate as well as marginalise such characters and their organisations and to report any acts of intimidation that seek to hinder them from exercising their constitutional right to vote,” Mahlangu said.
African News Agency