Companies that boycott Afrikaans artists deny their constitutional right to freedom of expression

17 April 2019

Companies, like Multichoice, that boycott Afrikaans artists are actually boycotting the greater Afrikaans and Afrikaans-speaking community seeing as the boycotts are aimed at large events like Afrikaans is Groot and now also the Ghoema Awards.

It is unacceptable and not only is it insulting to the entire Afrikaans-speaking community in South Africa, but also to all artists. Just like journalists, for instance, have the constitutional right to freedom of speech, artists also have the right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression in their work.

Ironically, it is due to the fact that an artist like Steve Hofmeyr merely insisted on equal rights, as entrenched in South Africa's Constitution, that he is now being targeted by certain companies.

The FF Plus views it as dishonest double standards seeing as these companies also have ties with organisations and parties like the EFF and its leader, Julius Malema, and they have said absolutely nothing about the blatant racist statements and hate speech toward minorities coming from these sources.

It is, therefore, abundantly clear that these companies have no regard for the interests of minorities. They are happy to take the artists' money, but then turn their backs on them.

These companies are unintentionally creating a sense of coherence among Afrikaans-speaking people and are thus causing them to unite. This is evident in the reactions of other artists who have chosen to take Hofmeyr's side against Multichoice.

The FF Plus is, therefore, of the opinion that the relevant companies have acted rashly for the sake of short-sighted political correctness. Business enterprises should keep from interfering in such issues or must act fairly by also reprimanding people like Julius Malema with whom they also have ties.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 17 April 2019