ANC’s race rhetoric is biased and increases racial tension – Solidarity 

6 January 2016

Trade union Solidarity said today that the ANC’s comments on the recent racial uproar that had erupted on social media was biased.

This follows after Stone Sizani, Chief Whip of the ANC, said yesterday that specific legislation should be drafted that would criminalise any actions that are considered to be racist or that glorifies apartheid. Sizani further said that some white South Africans are still harassing black people while reconciliation is expected from black South Africans.

“The ANC demonstrates a one-sided understanding of racism which only focuses on white against black racism, although racism occurs daily between various racial groups in South Africa,” Solidarity spokesperson Francois Redelinghuys said.

“The ANC’s obsession with race and racial legislation is continuously placing the racial debate on the table and it is not helping to achieve a non-racial society,” Redelinghuys explained.

According to Redelinghuys, some of the comments posted on social media platforms following the Penny Sparrow tweet were blatantly racist in terms of several racial groups and did not only originate from one group about another.

“Racism cannot be tolerated, and it is important to endeavour to nip all forms of racism in the bud,” Redelinghuys said.

Statement issued by Francois Redelinghuys, Spokesperson: Solidarity, 6 January 2016