The Human Rights Commission is keeping quiet on whether it will investigate racist comments allegedly made by model Jessica Leandra dos Santos on Twitter.
The model caused a storm after using a racial slur about a person who had allegedly sexually harassed her.
A host of Twitter users, including radio personality Pabi Moloi and columnist Mabine Seabe, tweeted that they had laid complaints with the commission after Dos Santos’s alleged post on Thursday.
Dos Santos, who has since lost major endorsements and been stripped of her FHM Modelbook 2011 title, tweeted: “Just, well took on an arrogant and disrespectful k***** inside Spar. Should have punched him…”
She immediately deleted the post after outraged tweeters slammed her.
Commission spokesman Vincent Moaga said: “At the moment we are in no position to confirm or deny whether complaints have been lodged or not.”
On her blog, the model said she was remorseful about her comments and that it was not in her nature to use such language.
“Over the past 24 hours I have had time to reflect back on my actions and I don’t have the words to express my sincere remorse following my unkindly and emotional outburst on Twitter recently.
“The people that do know me, know that this is not my nature and verbal usage.”
FHM editor Brendan Cooper distanced the magazine from Dos Santos.
“It’s important to us that it is noted that she in no way represents the magazine; she was merely the winner of an online poll we ran, and that we totally distance ourselves from her blatantly racist comments.
“We have removed all pictures of her from our website and will have nothing to do with her in future,” he said.
The Star