Cape Town - A complaint has been lodged with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against President Jacob Zuma over statements he made at the the ANC’s 104 celebrations, saying that land in South Africa has been “stolen”.
The complaint was lodged last week, at the North West office, by Freedom Front Plus parliamentary spokesman on land affairs, Pieter Groenewald.
SAHRC spokesman Isaac Mangena on Monday confirmed that his office had received a complaint against Zuma.
Mangena said: “The SAHRC received a complaint alleging that the president conducted racial division and his comments amounted to hate speech.” He said the SAHRC was looking into the matter.
In his complaint, Groenewald said Zuma made repeated comments which amounted to hate speech and racial division. Groenewald was referring to the president’s comments on land reform at the ANC’s 104th celebration gala dinner.
In his speech, Zuma said: “The source of poverty, unemployment and inequality is land. It was taken… not bought. Stolen. But the government of the people has to buy it back as if it was sold.”
In a written complaint to the commission, Groenewald said Zuma, in his speech, which was televised, was targeting white people. “With these remarks Zuma targets whites in South Africa as if they are the cause of poverty, inequality and unemployment.
“Everybody knows when you refer to stolen land in South Africa, it refers to white people. It fuels racial hatred between whites and blacks in South Africa and contravenes Sec 16 (2) c – advocacy of hatred that is based on race and ethnicity – of the constitution.”
Groenewald said Zuma should have been more cautious about making such comments in the presence of traditional leaders.
“The fact that Zuma had made this comment in Rustenburg in the presence of traditional leaders makes the situation worse if the consequences of the comments made by the Zulu King regarding foreigners in South Africa, are kept in mind,” he said.
Last year, King Goodwill Zwelithini was recorded saying that foreigners must pack up and leave the country. Many felt his statement fuelled the xenophobic attacks which happened.
Spokesman in the office of The Presidency, Bongani Majola, said they had not received any communication from the SAHRC.
Cape Argus