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Carl Niehaus tries to explain away ‘kick this dog’ tweet aimed at Karyn Maughan
Niehaus claims the phrase he used was a 'centuries-old' English saying.
Carl Niehaus. Image: Gallo Images/Jackie Clausen
Suspended uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veteran’s Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus has tried to explain away his “kick this dog” tweet about journalist Karen Maughan.
Niehaus responded to The Citizen’s article about his insults to Maughan, and has also received a lawyer’s letter for his inciteful Twitter attack on the journalist, according to News24.
ALSO READ: Niehaus calls Karyn Maughan a ‘dog’ that must be ‘kicked’ in Twitter rant
Explaining away “kick this dog”
In a WhatsApp message to The Citizen, Niehaus said he responded by referencing “the well-known centuries-old English saying, “Kick the dog until the owner comes out”.
“Obviously this was used figuratively and not literally. If I use another well-known English saying/phrase stating that ‘Journalism has gone to the dogs’ are you now going to say that I am calling you a dog? Surely not.”
Niehaus continued in his response to say his comments being tantamount to gender-based violence was “is disingenuous, malicious and a deliberate miss-representation (sic).”
“To set the record straight: I am totally against any form of Gender Based Violence (GBV), and I have said/declared so on numerous occasions and also on public and social media platforms. Any suggestion that I promote GBV in any manner whatsoever is slanderous…”
Cease and desist
According to News24, a cease and desist letter was sent to Niehaus on Friday after he tweeted “We must keep on kicking this dog harder, so that her owner that pays her comes out”.
According to the letter, Niehaus’ conduct on calling on his Twitter followers to “keep on kicking Maughan” was clearly intended to “dehumanise and insult” her, and incite physical violence against her.
The letter also reportedly stated his ongoing campaign against Maughan constituted an unlawful infringement of her dignity and reputation, and placed her at risk of physical harm.
Another Twitter rant
Niehaus claimed on Twitter he had not receive such lawyer’s letter.
“So, this is another white monopoly capital mainstream media propaganda campaign, announcing a ‘lawyers letter’ and even quoting from it, even before I received anything of the kind. What nonsense is this?”
“See I was absolutely correct to use the Ndebele and English saying: ‘Kick the dog until the master comes out’. The master has come out!: Koos Bekker’s News24, with Willem De Klerk Attorneys (what an appropriate name!), the usual attorneys of the Daily Maverick, in tow…”
Deleting “kick this dog” tweet
Carl Niehaus also machieviously tried to delete to delete the “kick this dog” tweet.
“Yesterday afternoon I already deleted my tweet using the English & Ndebele phrase: “Kick the dog until the owner comes out” because I could see that it was being deliberately misinterpreted & abused. The alleged laywers letter is irrelevant, I don’t owe Karyn Maughan any apology.”
Niehaus has been given until noon on Monday to retract and apologise for attacking Maughan on social media platform Twitter.
Should he fail to do so, he could face punitive costs.
