ActionSA to refer racist DA councillor to Ethics Committee

12 January 2023

The silence and lack of action by Democratic Alliance (DA) leadership in the matter relating to their Ward Councillor (Cllr) from Newcastle, Ms Connie Hariram, is cause for concern and creates the impression that racism is not taken seriously 29 years after the dawn of democracy.

The DA has failed to take proper steps to deal with this matter when it came to their attention as such, ActionSA in Newcastle will seek to refer Ms Hariram to the Ethics Committee of Council and will also be laying a complaint against the Speaker of Council who has done nothing to deal with this serious matter despite the aggrieved party having made representations.

In a voice note that was shared on a WhatsApp group chat, Ms Hariram is heard questioning why a black South African woman was voted for to form part of the community’s Ward Committee, in a meeting where attendance was predominantly Indian South African individuals.

What is most concerning is the fact that the DA admitted having known about the voice note in October 2022, yet they have been silent about it, nor did the racist Cllr face any disciplinary action after admitting having recorded and sharing the voice note on a social media platform, leaving one to firmly believe that the DA was attempting to bury this matter.

Having suffered a difficult and painful history in our country, there should not be a day where we make excuses or attempts to protect individuals who believe that they have leeway to behave however they wish, at the expense of the dignity of others, irrespective of this, the DA appears to have chosen to conceal Ms Hariram’s act of racism, which is a cause for concern. 

In their comments to the media, the DA says Ms Hariram has expressed remorse over the matter, but conversations between the victim, Ms Thandeka Reed and I suggest otherwise.

Ms Reed alleges that she is yet to receive an apology from Ms Hariram and the DA, which suggests that the organisation has received an apology from Ms Hariram for her actions, but the victim has not, clearly demonstrated that she has no remorse, but may have apologised to her organisation to save her job.

While the DA says they are in the process of investigating the matter, we believe that there is nothing to investigate since the perpetrator has admitted to recording and distributing the voice note.

In any event this is not an internal DA matter but rather one involving public representatives and we will take action where the Speaker and DA won’t.

Issued by Zwakele Mncwango, KZN Provincial Chairperson, ActionSA, 12 January 2023