Former Durban councillor, Kessie Nair, sits at the Verulam Family Court, some 25 kilometres north of Durban, South Africa, on September 20, 2018. Nair has been arrested and charged with making racial insults after he abused South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in a video posted on social media, police said. Picture: AFP PHOTO / RAJESH JANTILAL
Durban businessman Kessie Nair who posted a video of himself on Facebook attacking President Cyril Ramaphosa and referring to him as a k***** is back in the Verulam Magistrates Court.
Nair appeared in the Verulam court on six counts of crimen injuria and two counts of incitement.
During an adjournment at the Verulam court, he apologized and said he was remorseful.
“I would like to this opportunity to publicity to apologise to the state President Mr Cyril Ramaphosa and to the nation as a whole. I am not a racist. The remarks that I made on video which I posted, there would have been different alternatives that I could’ve utilised, but using the K-word obviously brought about the emotional aspect. I call upon the president and nation as a whole to find it within them to forgive me – there’s a bigger purpose and reason to where my frustration lies…
“…the tactic to utilise the k-word on the president and draw the attention of the nation to the reality of it.
“Words and actions and opinions of people should not empower your mind and destroy you from you.”
Nair continued to say he was of sound mind and did not agree with his two brothers, ex-wife, and district surgeon claiming he had a mental illness.
His two brothers and the surgeon have submitted affidavits to the court on Nair’s mental illness.
The court has adjourned and will resume shortly.
The former convicted fraudster and Durban councillor appeared briefly on a charge of crimen injuria in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court last Thursday afternoon looking relaxed.
Nair had been arrested in Durban by the Hawks earlier in the day after making headlines on Wednesday for posting a video on Tuesday calling President Cyril Ramaphosa the k-word. A criminal case was soon lodged against Nair at the Bayview police station by former eThekwini councillor Brandon Pillay.
Nair is now an ex-convict who claims to also have links to the 26’s prison gang after serving time in jail for corruption. Nair said Ramaphosa was mocking Mandela’s legacy and that he was prepared to go to prison for calling him a “k**fir”, or to even be shot.
His family has said he is physically and mentally unwell and requires immediate help. They said in a statement he has a chronic condition and they distanced themselves from his statements.
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