Human Rights Day: FF Plus Youth creates platform against HRC’s finding regarding Malema

21 March 2019

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has let South Africa down with its finding that the EFF Leader, Julius Malema, is not guilty of hate speech.

Last week, the HRC ruled that the statement made by Malema in November 2016 outside a court in Newcastle that "we are not calling for the slaughtering of white people, at least for now", does not amount to hate speech.

At the time, Malema appeared before the court on the charge that he encouraged land occupations.

This makes celebrating Human Rights Day in South Africa seem pointless, particularly for the white minority in the country.

South Africans who do not agree with the HRC's ruling can join the FF Plus in fighting back by declaring that Malema's statement is a violation of their human rights.

The FF Plus Youth has created a petition page so as to give South Africans an opportunity to voice their objection to Malema's statement. The petition could also be used in taking further steps against the EFF leader and the HRC.

The ideological and populist statements made by political leaders are more than just words. They have the potential of dividing South Africa based on race and skin colour.

Being a national institution, the HRC has the mandate and responsibility of ensuring respect, compliance with and the protection of human rights without fear or prejudice for all South Africans.

The HRC has the obligation of considering political statements, in particular, based on more than merely technical merit. The FF Plus believes that Malema's statement undoubtedly calls for the slaughter of white people. The only question is when.

South Africa's constitutional democracy first and foremost protects its citizens – not political leaders making populist statements. Incitement to violence, whether now or later, remains a threat to peace and nation building in South Africa.

On Human Rights Day, the FF Plus Youth encourages South Africans to fight back against the HRC's finding and political leaders who are jeopardising South Africa's future by making racially motivated statements by signing the electronic petition. The petition can be signed at the following link: http://chng.it/gbKm22VKnc

The FF Plus Youth wants to build a better future for South Africa and will keep fighting back against any and all forms of discrimination and hate speech that may incite violence.

Statement issued by Tammy Wessels, FF Plus Youth Leader, 21 March 2019