28 January 2016

“The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is shying away from investigating president Jacob Zuma after the Freedom Front Plus had laid a complaint of racial division and fuelling racial hatred,” Dr. Pieter Groenewald, chairperson of the Freedom Front Plus said.

Dr. Groenewald says the complaint arose from comments Zuma made at the ANC’s 104^th birthday celebrations and that land was the cause of poverty, inequality and unemployment and that the land in South Africa had been taken and stolen.

“There is no doubt that Zuma had with this remark targeted white people in South Africa as if they were the cause of all poverty, inequality and unemployment. It is also often stated in Parliament that ‘whites had stolen the land’. This fuels racial hatred and that is why the Freedom Front Plus had laid a complaint of racism with the Human Rights Commission earlier this month to investigate Zuma.

“The HRC’s provincial office in Northwest wrote in its reply that the complaint will not be investigated. The office alleges that the complaint does not fall within its jurisdiction and that the remark does not entail the infringement of human rights in terms of the Constitution (see letter below).

“The Freedom Front Plus differs from this and will appeal the decision, as the Constitution in Section 83(c) clearly states that the president has a constitutional duty to promote the unity of the nation and that which advances the Republic. Section 10 of the Constitution determines furthermore that everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected. To imply that whites had stolen the land in South Africa, infringes every white person’s inherent dignity and is nothing other than racism.

“The fact that this remark was made in Rustenburg in the presence of traditional leaders makes the the situation so much worse if the consequences of the comments made by the Zulu King regarding foreigners in South Africa, is kept in mind. The Zulu King’s comments were investigated by the HRC. It is also clear that Zuma is trying to trump the EFF on the land issue, which quickly rouse emotions and inflames tempers.

“The opposite about land is in actual fact true. Land requires hard work and expertise to be made productive. The mere possession of land will not suddenly eradicate poverty, inequality and unemployment. Zuma and the ANC do not know how to address poverty and unemployment and white people are now being blamed for it in an irresponsible and emotional manner. It is a dangerous recipe which creates racial conflict,” Groenewald said.

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Statement issued by Dr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus Chairperson, 28 January 2016