Ambassador Mandela owes all South Africans an apology 

17 June 2019

The racist and divisive statements made my Ms Zindzi Mandela, South Africa's ambassador in Denmark, are totally unacceptable, even more so coming from an ambassador, and the FF Plus insists that the government must take action against her at once.

Ms Mandela apparently does not see the irony of the fact that she is launching an attack on white people in her own country from a successful Eurocentric country by disparaging them as "land thieves and Apartheid apologists" who are like "those uninvited visitors who don't want to leave".

On top of that, as an ambassador she is quite happy to accept payment whilst in a European country.

Ms Mandela owes all South Africans an apology. Making such statements outside of South Africa's borders does not indemnify her against accountability.

There is also no way that she can justify the statements by saying that she made them in her personal capacity. Any statement made by a high-profile government official on a social media platform for all the world to see cannot be labelled private.

Until now, the ANC government has opted to look the other way when black politicians openly attack white people and incite racialism.

In this case, however, the government will not be able to ignore it and remain silent seeing as one of its ambassadors is involved. Remaining silent will still send a loud and clear message of approval regarding this kind of racist rhetoric that is truly detrimental to racial relations in South Africa and that can also greatly damage the country's image among the international community.

In the interest of all peace-loving South Africans, the FF Plus will not just let this go. Ms Mandela must be called to account for her irresponsible behaviour.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 17 June 2019