Johannesburg - Afrikaans-speaking people have come out in defence of singer Steve Hofmeyr, whose planned appearance at Café Dudok, a restaurant in the Netherlands, was cancelled when the organisers were alerted of his white supremacy.
Hofmeyr was to speak at a Dutch restaurant called Café Dudok about the future of Afrikaners in South Africa, but his planned appearance hit a snag when Johan de Villiers posed a probing question to the organisers on Facebook.
“Why does Café Dudok welcome South African singer Steve Hofmeyr in their venue? Do you know he called a well-known white supremacist in South Africa a cultural icon and that he blamed apartheid on South African black people?
"Did you know that he shared another podium with another white supremacist in 2015? Did you know he was banned from venues and that sponsors walked away?”
Following that, Hofmeyr was pulled from the event, and the organisers sent out a statement saying they have always taken a stance against discrimination and racism.
“We would like to express our regret and apologies towards all the people who felt offended by the seemable appearance of Steve Hofmeyr in Dudok on June 1,” the organisers wrote.
Hofmeyr seemed to be confused as to why his appearance was cancelled. On Twitter he wrote in Afrikaans: “Ek sien die oopgesprek bly dood in Nederland. Eintlik wag ek nog dat iemand sal verduidelik wat rassisties was aan my uitsprake (It seems freedom of speech is still dead in the Netherlands. Actually, I’m still waiting for someone to explain what was racist about my statements).”
His fans were upset by the cancellation too, saying he wasn’t a racist, but that he was speaking out against “white genocide”. De Klerk Fourie wrote: “You tend to be biased in your opinions and not interested in hearing the truth. Yes, Steve Hofmeyr represents a minority who is being murdered and discriminated against by law, in South Africa.
"Maybe you should understand that BBBEE is just another word for apartheid…white people are being refused jobs in the free rainbow nation of South Africa.”
Last year, Hofmeyr sang the old national anthem, Die Stem, at North West University’s sponsored Clover Aardklop National Arts Festival, among his many controversies.