Human rights abuse: Call to take racist pupil to court

There has been a call for action against a Grade 9 pupil from Ben Vorster High School in Limpopo after he was recorded referring to a popular social media content creator known as Sonwabile, who was wearing a red hat, as an EFF k****r.

The school’s governing body chair, Eddie Vorster, said the pupil had shown remorse and realised his behaviour was unacceptable.

ALSO READ: ‘You EFF K****’ , red berets mobilise in Limpopo over racist video

“The governing body condemns the incident. It is in contrast to the values of the school,” he said.

Further investigations per the governing body’s disciplinary policy and the school’s reputation will be looked at.

Victimologist Prof Jaco Barkhuizen said there was a reason why hate speech was called hate speech, or why certain levels of speech are deemed dangerous.

“We have seen that through history, the use of language to create an out-group of democracy leads to people viewing these groups of people as less human. That usually leads to massive human rights abuse,” he said.

ALSO READ: Maselspoort Resort: ‘Racists must expect harsh consequences’ – Ramaphosa

Barkhuizen said it starts with the use of language and ends up in gas chambers.

“The reason why society deems certain utterances and sayings as hate speech that should not be used is because the consequence of such speech could lead to further criminality against groups deemed not worthy of existing,” he said.

Political analyst Dr John Molepo said there was a need for those who make such remarks to be dealt with harshly by the courts and the Commissions for Gender Equality and Human Rights.

“South Africa remains unequal, divided and not united in almost all aspects and perpetuating racist remarks makes it difficult for South Africans to unite,” he said.

“At this time, such utterances are not needed and to a greater extent, they seek to undermine the democracy and freedom we have in the country.”

ALSO READ: WATCH: Nelspruit school’s sanction called ‘inappropriate’ after pupil allegedly forced to drink urine

Head of political studies and international relations at North-West University, Dr Benjamin Rapanyane, said he didn’t understand why black people were still being called the k-word in 2023.

“It is really painful and unacceptable,” he said. Rapanyane said the only way to deal with this was through implementing a jail time.

“Even if it is for six months or reparation,” he said. “Otherwise, all of this keeps proving how right [EFF leader] Julius Malema is with these people. It would not bring peace and reconciliation in our society, but rather war and unnecessary attacks on each other.”

Possibility of court action

Political analyst Khanya Vilakazi said there was nothing prohibiting any institution to take this young man to court.

Vilakazi said going to the young man’s school or bombarding the family with calls and SMSes was not going to change the culture of racism that exists in private settings.

“However, taking them on for allowing themselves to express their racism publicly will reduce such things from happening privately.

“Racism is being taught and practised behind closed doors and has a way of manifesting publicly,” he said.

ALSO READ: Demonstrating won’t cut it, rather go to the SAHRC

“We require a foundation or any other citizen to take up this issue with relevant courts and make sure that this young man is either put in prison or fined for his conduct.”

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said when children say things like that, “we have to look at the context of how they grew up and their households, the narrative at the school and the dominance of a particular socio-cultural at the school”.

“It’s often a community-based thing more than an individual thing. This type of behaviour inflames the perception that we have passed on the form of brutality, in the name of racism, from one generation to the other,” he said.

ALSO READ: Cape Town lawyer pleads not guilty to racially motivated attack

“Prof Jonathan Jansen speaks about it in his book. Racism in the households are often passed on from one generation to the next generation without the children necessarily personally experiencing it,” he said.

Croucamp said not only must the individual be held accountable, but there must be a broader conversation about the origins of such behaviour