Watson brothers may be next to fall in k-word war

While former Bosasa chief operating officer Angelo Agrizzi got off relatively lightly with a R200,000 out-of-court settlement, Lindsay, Roth, and Jarrod Watson are now in the SA Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) crosshairs and could face hate speech charges.

“The Equality Act specifically states that no-one may disseminate or publicise any information that unfairly discriminates,” SAHRC attorney Buang Jones said outside the Randburg Equality Court.

“During our consultations with Mr Angelo Agrizzi and his lawyers, it came to our attention this recording was unlawfully disseminated, it was done without his knowledge,” said Jones.

“The content of the recording is discriminatory and that that is why we will pursue legal action against Lindsey, Roth, and Jarrod Watson.”

However, according to his testimony before the State Capture Commission, Agrizzi knew he was being recorded and confirmed this multiple times to Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

“The two people that I referred to using the k-word is Johannes Gumede and Papa Leshabane,”

Agrizzi told Zondo when pleading with him to continue listening to his testimony.The shortened recording, in which Agrizzi uses the k-word at least 10 times, first saw the light in September thanks to City Press, and was presented as part of Agrizzi’s testimony in January.In his apology yesterday, Agrizzi did not read the prepared statement, electing instead to “speak from the heart.”

“One cannot read an apology if it is sincere. It has to come from the heart,” Agrizzi said.“I am deeply sorry, and I said it in the Zondo Commission, once more I’ll say it again and I’ll keep saying it, that I’m really sorry.” Noting ‘the wounds are still raw”, Agrizzi said for him to have been one of the people to rub salt in those wounds was “despicable”.

“From my heart to all South Africans, I really apologise for what I said. Even if it was unlawful, even if it was disseminated by someone else, from my side it should never have happened and I’m deeply, deeply regretful of that,” Agrizzi said.

His R200,000 donation will go to the foundation of June 16, 1976, survivor, Barney Mokgatle – lieutenant to Tsietsi Mashinini who led the march.

“This settlement serves to send a message to everyone in South Africa the k-word must not be used,” Mokgatle said.

“I have fought for human rights, I have fought for human dignity, we fought against oppression, we fought against people being slaves in modern days, and as long as he is apologising from the bottom of his heart, I want to give him a mandate.

“He must go out and tell other people who might be in this situation they must desist. Our parents suffered under apartheid using this k-word.”Agrizzi is set to visit a creche in Alexandra run by the Foundation next week

– amandaw@citizen.co.za

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