DA reports racist ANC MEC to Human Rights Commission

22 November 2015

The Democratic Alliance has written to the South African Human Rights Commission, requesting it to investigate ANC MEC for Social Development in the Eastern Cape, Nancy Sihlwayi, for racism and human rights abuses.

The racism of ANC MEC Nancy Sihlwayi, in segregating youth on the basis of race, exposes the ANC as an organisation that is not working for a non-racial future for South Africa (see DispatchLive report).

Sihlwayi’s instruction to her staff to exclude children from a government youth event on the basis of their race, is nothing but pure racism.

As MEC for Social Development, Sihlwayi has shown that given the chance, the ANC will decide which races can and cannot access opportunities. This is a divisive and separatist tactic that has no place in the South Africa of today.

Sihlwayi’s attempt at social and racial engineering harks back to the worst parts of South Africa’s history.

In its protection of Sihlwayi, the ANC is showing itself to be a home to racists and a protector of racist members.

The DA called last week for the ANC to distance itself from this racism, but to date the ANC has not done so. The DA has also reported MEC Sihlwayi to the Eastern Cape Legislature Ethics Committee for investigation for racism.

Tomorrow I will deliver the DA’s written complaint to the offices of the South African Human Rights Commission in the Eastern Cape in person, for their investigation to begin.

There is no place for racism in the offices of senior ANC government officials, and there is no place for racism in South Africa.

Statement issued by Veliswa Mvenya, DA Eastern Cape Chairperson, 22 November 2015