Black South Africans are far more violent and racist towards their white compatriots than vice versa, the FW de Klerk Foundation claimed on Friday.

To help address the situation, the foundation, established by its namesake who won a Nobel peace prize alongside Nelson Mandela,

said it had appealed to the South African Human Rights Commission to intervene on the issue of racism and hate speech against white South Africans.

Its complaint to the commission detailed “45 social media postings that incite extreme violence against white South Africans”.

The foundation added: “An analysis of Facebook and Twitter messages shows that by far the most virulent and dangerous racism – expressed in the most extreme and violent language – has come from disaffected black South Africans.

“The messages are replete with threats to kill all whites – including children; to rape white women or to expel all whites from South Africa.”

It said these “hurtful racist remarks” were posted online after “recent racist remarks made by Penny Sparrow regarding black South Africans at beaches on New Year’s Day”.

Sparrow’s comments were followed by others online by economist Chris Hart and radio presenter Gareth Cliff.

The foundation said these comments were largely viewed as “evidence of rampant and pervasive white racism”.

It then listed 45 posts from social media that marked what it said was the extent of racism and hate speech directed at white South Africans.

One came from Billy Buthelezi: “I am calling upon to all Blacks works for whites as house keepers, garden boys and sheffs to buy deadly poisons, to poison and kill the white Bosses, pls take this for reverng.”

Ken Marape said: “Is the sparrow still alive? If that’s the case I’m disappointed in black people from Natal.”

Mncedisi Mbokazi, meanwhile, said: “we shud hav killed these f…… pigs in 94 bt Mandela said we must live 2geda, 4getin dat dey were killing our grandparents 4 ova 400 years.”

Malaven Serage added: “I’m about the total destruction of white people, I’m about the total liberation of black people. I hate white people. I hate my enemy.

“I can’t wait for the day they’re all dead. I won’t be completely happy until I see our black people free.”

The foundation urged the commission to use “its powers to investigate and to report on the observance of human rights in so far as these messages constitute hate speech in terms of the constitution”.

It said the commission should, if it believed it was appropriate, refer communications to the national Director of Public Prosecutions for further consideration”.

SAHRC spokesman Isaac Mangena was on Friday not available for comment on the matter.

yazeed.kamaldien@inl.co.za

Saturday Argus