MALEMA JUDGMENT: FIRST STEP TOWARD SANITY

The FF Plus welcomes judge Collin Lamont's decision that the words "Shoot the Boer" as sung by Julius Malema in the song "Dubul ‘Ibhunu" constitutes hate speech and is now prohibited.

The FF Plus hopes that this is the first step in the direction of getting South Africa out of the swamp of hate speech and racism which has become worse this past year. The contrast between the Mandela approach after 1994 and the Malema approach the past year, shouted out for an adjustment. Hopefully this judgment is the first step, of many which still has to be taken, to the recovery of the balance and the promotion of good relationships between all groups in South Africa.

The FF Plus does however find it a pity that it was necessary to go to court or to lay a criminal charge with the Police, as the FF Plus had done, in order to stop these racial explosions. In this regard the judge's decision is a serious charge against the ANC which allowed this case to get out of hand and developed so far before a correction was been made from outside the ANC.

My criminal charge with the Police about this case is now more relevant and the FF Plus expects the Police to now take this case further.

In 2003 (17 July 2003) the FF Plus succeeded in having the slogan of Peter Mokaba "Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer" declared as hate speech. Against this background we welcome this consistency with which the Constitution's section 16 on hate speech is interpreted by the Human Rights Commission and now by the Equality Court.

We also welcome the judge's reference to minorities which are at the mercy of the majority and have no choice but to call on the courts for the correction of such an injustice and discrimination against them. With a harmonious future amongst all in South Africa in mind, more debate about this is needed in South Africa .

Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Mulder, FF Plus Leader, September 12 2011

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