Free Speech Union: Cowardice of Cricket South Africa undermines free speech in South Africa
Cricket South Africa (CSA) and its Chairman, Lawson Naidoo, have brought South Africa into disrepute by dropping David Teeger as captain of the U19 squad. This action has drawn world-wide media attention, much of it detrimental to the image of the CSA.
The reasons Teeger faced an investigation are well known. The Palestinian Solidarity Alliance (PSA), a pro-Hamas pressure group, had complained to CSA claiming that a comment by Teeger was ‘clearly a provocative and inflamatory (sic) political statement’. The CSA instituted an independent enquiry to assess the charge.
The independent investigator, Advocate Wim Trengove SC, one of South Africa’s most respected advocates, dismissed the claim, finding that Teeger did not contravene CSA’s Code of Conduct.
He said: ‘The Constitutional Court has made the point that the right to freedom of expression does not protect hate speech, but emphasised that the expression of unpopular or even offensive beliefs does not constitute hate speech’. Trengove added that while Teeger may have offended some, his views were shared by others within the country and did not violate South African law nor the CSA code of conduct.
However, CSA still buckled to the PSA’s demand instead of standing up for Teeger’s right to free speech and at most giving him a wrap over the knuckles for a youthful indiscretion.