DA to report Matjhabeng Mayor to SAHRC following racist and xenophobic comments

8 April 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will lodge a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) following the racist, xenophobic and violent comments made by the Mayor of Matjhabeng Municipality, Nkosinjane Speelman, while addressing members of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF).

In a video, widely circulated on social media, Speelman can be heard using racist slurs when referring to residents of Bronville and inferring that they are alcoholics. He then states that he wishes the army to stay there for two years as he has a lot of problems with “so-called non-South African citizens . . . the Pakistanians [stet] and the Nigerians”. Speelman also encourages the army deployed there to enforce the lockdown to “skopen donner” people found violating the lockdown regulations.

The DA denounces these racist, xenophobic and violent remarks in the strongest possible terms.

Vile statements, like these made by Speelman, only serve to divide South Africans at a time when we should all be working together to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

South Africa is a democratic state, and the rule of law and the Constitution should be adhered to at all times.

The DA urges the residents of the Matjhabeng Municipality, and the Free State, to report acts of violence and abuse by law enforcement officers to the DA on WhatsApp (067 977 9324) or e-mail ([email protected]).

Issued byPatricia Kopane,DA Free State Provincial Leader, 8 April 2020