Durban - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu on Sunday said everyone was entitled to freedom of speech and opinion, but any form of racism should be condemned.
“It should not be tolerated by us at any stage whether directed at Zulus, Indians, coloureds and whites. Utterances of such nature should be condemned,” Mchunu said.
He made the comments as a guest on a talk show on LotusFM, when the remarks of pressure group, Injenje yama-Nguni’s Phumlani Mfeka, were discussed.
The government has since been granted an interim interdict against Mfeka for his anti-Indian comments, and he has until on Tuesday to oppose it.
Mchunu said Mfeka had been engaged before, on his statements on his anti-Indian hate speech and racism.
He had also been urged to find other ways to express himself, but he did not heed such calls.
“We found ourselves with no option as cabinet of KwaZulu-Natal except to get into that action,” he said referring to seeking the interdict.
“We are not saying he should be shut. Don’t perpetuate hate speech and racism with other rhetoric. We reject that,” he said in an indirect address to Mfeka who was not on the show.
Mchunu also said the interdict was a bold step to show those who doubted the government would act against Mfeka.
“It is not enough, I agree, insofar as court action can’t bring an end to Phumlani Mfeka,” he said in reaction to a complaint by one caller that parties had not roundly condemned Mfeka.
He emphasised the need for the citizens of KZN to live in harmony.
He also dissuaded the stereotyping of Indians as being exploitative when other racial groups were not immune.
“There are people who are exploited by indigenous Africans. There are also thousands exploited by whites. Why stereotype Indians?” he asked.
In explaining why no criminal charge was laid by the KZN government against Mfeka as yet, Mchunu said the interdict was the first action and others were being weighed, including approaching the Human Rights Commission.
“We sought a court interdict to stop him from spreading what he had been doing,” he said.
The premier agreed with callers to the talk show on the need to engage communities in dialogue.
He said the Amafa Heritage, as part of its new mandate, would serve as a platform to promote engagement on social cohesion.
“We call on everybody to be active in the battle of ideas to debate issues,” he said.
Callers to the show described Mfeka’s comments as being racist towards Indians.
A caller who identified himself only as Mkhize said there was a need to look into the issues raised by Mfeka as the Mazibuye African Forum had done the same before.
Another caller said there was a need to create an awareness on the history and the role of Indians in the liberation struggle.
Daily News
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