Ndlozi apologises for ‘hurtful’ tweet after journalist’s harassment

Economic Freedom Fighters MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has apologised for a tweet in which he defended the harassment of a journalist by party members during a recent protest in Cape Town.

In a tweet on Wednesday, he said: “When I wrote: Merely touching her is not Harassment’, it was an irresponsible tweet, giving license to the violent treatment of women. It was also hurtful & made many who‘v suffered violence relive this pain. I apologize & receive all the robust rebuke you all gave me with love!

Also read: Ndlozi says EFF members’ mere ‘touching’ of eNCA journalist ‘is not harassment’

Journalist Nobesuthu Hejana and a cameraperson had been covering a Clicks protest when they were chased away.

A video clip of the incident showed her being touched and pushed by the group in red overalls.

Reacting to the clip at the time, Ndlozi had tweeted: “But they are telling her that she can be here, but not allowed to talk to EFF members. It means she was trying to interview them. I really do not see harassment here. Merely touching her is not harassment. The touch has to be violent, invasive, or harmful to become harassment!”

His comments drew criticism from many quarters, with many saying it had no place in a country with high levels of gender-based violence.

Also read: Sanef calls on Gender Commission to probe Ndlozi’s ‘harassment’ comments

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