AfriForum submits hate speech complaint against #ZindziMandela over tweets

Pretoria - Civil rights organisation AfriForum on Monday said it submitted a complaint of hate speech to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against Zindzi Mandela.

This comes after Mandela, the daughter of late former president Nelson Mandela and late struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, set Twitter ablaze last month with a series of fiery tweets about “white cowards and shivering land thieves".

Alana Bailey, Deputy chief executive of AfriForum responsible for international liaison, requested that the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor immediately recall and dismiss Mandela, who is an ambassador in Denmark.

After investigating the authenticity of the tweets, Pandor told Mandela to conduct herself as a diplomat and adhere to the social media policy of government.

AfriForum said this was not enough, "In view of this outcome, AfriForum has therefore decided to proceed with this complaint to the SAHRC."

“With her messages, Mandela bore witness to a hate-bearing attitude towards white people in the country. She has publicly contributed to the polarisation of local communities. With crude language, as well as false and humiliating references such as ‘rapists’, ‘cowards’ and ‘land thieves’, she is contributing to a dangerous discourse of scapegoating,” said Bailey in a statement.

Bailey said Mandela's defence that she is entitled to her personal opinion demonstrates a complete lack of insight into her responsibility as ambassador to promote the image of South Africa and to serve all South Africans without prejudice.

African News Agency/ANA