ANC KZN welcomes Scottburgh Magistrate Court judgment on Penny Sparrow
13 September 2016
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has noted the sentence handed down by the Scottsburgh Magistrate for giving a fine of R5 000 and two years suspended to Penny Sparrow after she pleaded guilty to a charge of crimen injuria for calling African beachgoers monkeys.
Her fine was the result of a plea bargain agreement in the court following her admission and acceptance of her conduct as being racist and hurtful.
As part of her plea agreement, Sparrow read out an apology that the ANC and other complainants had approved. Her sentencing yesterday, 12 September 2016 marked the end of a legal battle since her racist Facebook post which emerged in January.
The Scottburgh Equality Court on June, 10, 2016 also found Sparrow guilty of hate speech for her derogatory comments against African people. The Equality Court had also ordered her to pay R150 000 to the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation.
“As the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal we believe that such judgement will send a strong message to all covert and overt racists that racism is completely inimical to the values of new society under construction", said ANC Provincial Secretary Cde Super Zuma.
However, it is our firm view that the sentence meted against Sparrow is not proportional to the level of harm and damage caused by her racism and painful remarks. A prison sentence without an option of fine would have afforded her an opportunity, in isolation, to deeply reflect and repent from her disgraceful conduct.
ANC will continue to fight harder to ensure that a dream of a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous society is realized. The struggle to build a national democratic society remains at the heart of our program of social transformation and racism has no place in that society.
The ANC has never been an organization that believes in retribution or an eye for an eye approach to conflict resolution. We are an organization that subscribes to the inherent goodness of every human being regardless of the colour of their skin.
“The ANC please that Sparrow has finally responded to request to apologies to black South Africans, and showed some remorse and contrition.”
Issued by the Mdumiseni Ntuli, ANC Provincial Spokesperson, 13 September 2016
