DA welcomes GSARC inquiry into racial comments by Velaphi Khumalo

7 January 2016

The DA welcomes the inquiry by the Gauteng Department of Sport, Art, Recreation and Culture (SARC) – into the racist comments made by one of the departments’ employees, Velaphi Khumalo, which was posted on social media.

The DA condemns any form of racism and anything that incites violence and hatred towards others.

Section 16 of the Bill of Rights, on freedom of expression, states that the freedom to express oneself does not extend to propaganda for war, incitement of imminent violence, or advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

We are encouraged by the department’s swift action against its employee and we look forward to learning the outcome of this internal inquiry.

I am heartened by the MEC for SARC, Faith Mazibuko’s, immediate response in this regard as her department’s key mandate is in fact nation building and social cohesion.

Racism has no place in a democratic South Africa.

Statement issued by Paul Willemburg MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Heritage, 7 January 2016