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An ANC councillor is in hot water over a “kill the boer, kill the farmer” post on Facebook in the midst of a #RacismWillFall campaign that is raging on social media.
Bhekinkosi Mvelase, an ANC councillor in the Msinga municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, this morning admitted to posting the offending phrase on Facebook.
“It was a mistake. I deleted that thing,” he told Media24.
“That thing is unAfrican and anti-ANC. It was not my intention to provoke someone. I am apologising whole-heartedly.”
In 2011, the Equality Court in Johannesburg ruled that the words “shoot the boer” amounted to hate speech in a case in which civil-rights organisation AfriForum took Julius Malema, who was ANC Youth League leader at the time, to court for singing them in a song.
In that judgment, Judge Colin Lamont warned that words were powerful weapons that could be construed as calls to action and lead to genocide.
The ANC said earlier this week the Democratic Alliance was responsible for the racial storm on social media because it was “a breeding ground for racism”.
The ANC took a strong stand against controversial remarks from South Africans on social media – including estate agent Penny Sparrow, economist Chris Hart and gym owner Justin van Vuuren – and laid charges of crimen injuria against them .
A complaint was also filed with the Human Rights Commission.
In response to Mvelase’s comments Keith Khoza, ANC spokesperson, said: “The ANC condemns anything that is causing disunity among South Africans. We do not believe any race-based divisions will take the country forward.”
On whether the ANC would take action against Mvelase, Khoza said it was a matter for the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal because he was a councillor in the province.
Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, said he was not aware of Mvelase’s comments but if the story was true, the ANC must bring him to task.
“Particularly now that the country is going through a particular moment where we are exposed to a lot of racially inflammatory statements.
“A member of the ANC should know better and should know that you can’t deal with the current situation by being reckless.”
He said the ANC would investigate the matter so that appropriate action could be taken.
“The statement borders on racial division. It does not represent what the ANC is about. We condemn it.”
