ANC WELCOMES COURT JUDGEMENT DECLARING THE DISPLAY OF APARTHEID FLAG AS HATE SPEECH

The African National Congress (ANC) welcones the judgement of the Equality Court declaring the display of the old apartheid South African flag as hate speech and unfair discrimination.

We agree with the court that the display of the old flag impairs the dignity of black people and that those who display the apartheid flag consciously choose oppression over liberation.

This judgement is a vindication of the ANC's position that the old apartheid flag and other apartheid paraphernalia are divisive and represents a hankering for our ugly past. We believe that demonstrating any allegiance to apartheid symbols serves to undermine all efforts aimed at building a new democratic society that is based on the values of justice, equality and freedom.

Displaying the apartheid flag is not only inconsistent with the values of our Constitution but also tends to reverse all the gains we have made since 1994 to promote social cohesion and build a non-racial society.

The ANC calls on all South Africans to redouble their collective efforts towards building a united nation and to turn their backs on apartheid and all its symbols.

Statement issued by the African National Congress, 21 August 2019