Trade union Solidarity lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (HRC) against Olly Mlamleli, executive mayor of the Mangaung Metro, because of the racist remarks she made. At the moment, court papers are being drawn up to also take the matter to the Equality Court. During a Budget Meeting of the Mangaung Metro Ms Mlamleli said: “White people are white because they are cheats and they are cheats because they are white.”
In response, Connie Mulder, head of the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) said this statement comes as the latest in a whole series of racist statements made by ANC office bearers. “This statement confirms the findings of Solidarity’s research into selective racism which was the focus of a recent campaign, namely that government officials are on a regular basis guilty of racism without fear of the consequences.”
“What makes this particular statement so extremely disconcerting is the fact that in March this year, the very same Ms Mlamleli suspended a Mangaung employee because of racism. In that instance, the municipality dealt with the matter swiftly and firmly suspending the employee, Mr Chris Kruger, because of a racist post on Facebook. Even Free State premier, Ace Magashule, entered the fray, stating that there was no room for racists, neither in the Free State nor in South Africa. We agree wholeheartedly with Premier Magashule and we expect a similar reaction in response to the remarks made by the mayor of the Mangaung Metro Municipality,” Mulder added.
“We can’t sit back and allow divisive anti-white rhetoric, coming from prominent ANC figures in particular, to carry on unabated. All we are asking is that Ms Mlamleli be measured by her own yardstick of racism and that she takes a taste of the medicine she dishes out to other racists. We need leaders who can appease racial emotions rather than incite such emotions. You cannot fight racism by committing it,” Mulder further cautioned.
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(c) 2017 Solidariteit Solidarity