Kommandokorps: Police should shut down hate camp today

The Democratic Alliance has noted the incoherent and dishonest response issued yesterday by "Colonel" Jooste, the executive director of the Kommandokorps.

The Kommandokorps camp in rural Mpumalanga is a training camp for hatred and racism. It should be shut down immediately.

We are this morning making urgent contact with Mpumalanga Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Thulani Ntombela, requesting that he use every legal means available to him to shut down the camp pending a full investigation into what is happening there. We are waiting for a response from the Human Rights Commission to our request for an investigation into the camp. However, there is already evidence which would enable the police to act now.

Specifically, we believe that the various videos of the camp provide sufficient evidence to suspect that there may be illegal weapons on site, or that weapons are being used by people without licenses.

This initial search could be successful in suspending the workings of the camp until a full investigation can be undertaken into what exactly is being taught there, and under what circumstances the young boys are recruited.

The claim by "Colonel" Jooste that "no hate speech is ever expressed at the camp" (translated from Afrikaans) is quite simply a lie. One need only watch the films available on YouTube about the camp to see that. Jooste often uses hate speech himself in reference to black South Africans.

In the video Afrikaner Blood, for example, he can be heard articulating profoundly hateful speech. For example:

• "Let there be no doubt. Apart from the Aborigines in Australia, the blacks of Africa are the most underdeveloped and barbaric members of the human race on Earth."
• "It takes me a one-hour lecture and then they know that they are no longer part of the rainbow nation."
• "What is the biggest difference between you and a black man? A cortex. Remember that word. A cortex, a forebrain. He cannot organise ... because his brain is 120g lighter than yours."
• "Who is my enemy in South Africa, against whom I must protect my house like a fortress, always watching out for hijackings, who kills, robs and rapes? Who are these creatures? It is the black people."
• "Yes, this camp develops racism. But not bad racism."

All South Africans, and especially those who have experienced the hurt of racism, should find the continued existence of this camp an affront to our democracy and our Constitution. I am personally incensed with the prospect that this camp is allowed to continue operating for one day longer. This hate camp must be stopped now.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, DA National Spokesperson, February 28 2012

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