TAU SA will not withdraw hate speech case

Cosatu's call on Afriforum to withdraw the case of hate speech against ANC Youth Leader Julius Malema, has the implication that TAU SA, who supports Afriforum in this case, also has to withdraw the charges.

"TAU SA wants to state it categorically that although TAU SA's case is not against Mr Malema in person, he is not prepared to do so," said mr Louis Meintjes, Deputy President of TAU SA, who attends the court case on behalf of TAU SA. "It has been long overdue that the principle of any song, whoever it sings, and which implicates hate speech, had to be tested in court," says Mr Meintjes.

"Why is Cosatu suddenly in this point of time concerned about this case? It is unacceptable that Cosatu wants the case to be dropped from a position outside the court proceedings. Is the reason for Cosatu not participating in this case perhaps because he is afraid he would also be dismantled as an organisation who supports hate speech and the killing of Boere and farmers?

"This case has to go all the way to determine if singing "Kill the farmers" is hate speech. TAU SA is not prepared to drop this case even if that would mean going on with it on its own, because we need to have any songs like these, who are insulting to any part of the community, be banned from singing in South African," say Mr Meintjes.

Statement issued by TAU SA, April 16 2011

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