Jewish board appalled by Mngxitama comment
It is deeply distressing that anyone could so casually and publicly dehumanise an entire people in this way.
THE South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) says it is currently reviewing its options in terms of what action to take against Black First Land First (BLF) leader Andile Mngxitama.
On Thursday, in a tweet, Mngxitama wrote, “For those claiming the legacy of the holocaust is only negative think about the lampshades and Jewish soap.”
The Jewish organisation said it was appalled by the crassly offensive, demeaning and hurtful comment made by Mngxitama.
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National Director of SAJBD, Wendy Kahn said “With this ugly, jeering remark, Mngxitama has portrayed not just the deliberate murder of Jewish people but even the supposed reduction of their remains to everyday objects as something to be treated as a joke. It is deeply distressing that anyone could so casually and publicly dehumanise an entire people in this way. How much more outrageous it is when emanating from a public figure who heads up a political voice.”
“A few hours later, Mngxitama added another tweet, “I concur with @helenzille that the aroma of the burning flesh from the furnace of the Holocaust may wet (sic) the appetite of the SA cannibals.”
“Mngxitama scoffing reference to how Jews became victims of one of history’s most appalling crimes displays outright contempt for basic humanitarian, non-racial values, together with a complete lack of compassion for human suffering. His overtly hateful tweet is a flagrant attack on the fundamental rights to dignity and equality of Jewish South Africans and should be strongly condemned by all in our country. Civilised society, and certainly South Africa with its stained history of human rights abuses, has no place for those who condone the merciless massacre of millions of innocent people in the most cruel way,” said Kahn.
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