NUMSA STATEMENT ON STEVE HOFMEYER ‘K-WORD' SONG

17 May 2011

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) regards the latest rendition song by Steve Hofmeyer as distasteful and racist to the core.

We are extremely concerned that Hofmeyer has penned or released a song with a ‘Kaffir' word in its lyrics (see Beeld report). This is an affront attack on Africans and Blacks in general who were dehumanized and called by such derogatory names in factory floors and elsewhere by white racists during the apartheid days.

This song does not signify a work of a genius, but its spews on the rich contribution made by Bram Fischer, Beyers Naude and Bessie du Toit for a united, democratic, non - sexist society as envisaged in the Freedom Charter.

The insinuations by Hofmeyer that his song is retaliation to ‘Dubul' iBhunu' struggle song as sang by the ANC Youth League President Cde Julius Malema, is cheap politicking and worse form of demagogue. It should be made clear that struggle songs are part of our collective memory and where we come from as a country.

The songs like ‘Asixol' kanjani amaBhunu abulal' uChris Hani', iLenja uBotha nalenja uMalan', Shisa iMellow Yellow', ‘Hamba kahle Mkhonto' are part of our collective memory and continue to inspire many of our people in confronting the new struggles posed by the inhumane and barbaric capitalist system.

They continue to inspire farm-dwellers who are constantly subjected to racial slurs or assault by racist white farmers and many of our people working as gardeners or maids in opulent suburbs of the mainly rich white racist homes.

For a cultural worker in Hofmeyer's stature, NUMSA calls upon this cultural activist to admit that his latest rendition belongs to the past and has no place in a free and democratic South Africa. He should in all humility withdraw the song for the sake of nation-building and a peaceful future of our country.

We are concerned by the loud silence from Madam Helen Zille and her two stooges in condemning this not-so good artistic work by Hofmeyer. This reinforces our suspicion that the song might have been hatched in Zille's backyard given the sickening reluctance by DA's led Midvaal Municipality to remove Hendrick Verwoerd's statue.

We further note with extreme concern the ruling of the South Gauteng High Court concluding that "Dubul IBhunu" constitutes hate speech. It is these types of judgments that confirm the anti-transformation perspectives within the judiciary. We are certain that the De La Rey song would be regarded by the honorable judge as nostalgic and cultured.

As NUMSA, we will engage our ally, the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA) not only to recruit to its ranks cultural workers such as Steve Hofmeyer, but to sharpen the ideological and political understanding of cultural workers in our country. This will go a long way in assisting cultural workers to produce artistic work that is relevant and in touch with popular struggles of the day as faced by the working class and the poor.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA National Spokesperson, May 17 2011

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