Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member Khela Mngwenwe has been called a “coolie” in a social media post after the Umlazi Equality Court ordered her to do so within 30 days of the ruling. He apologized to the Indian community for using such a derogatory term. (Photo credit: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
EKhela Mngwenwe, a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has been accused of “coolie” in a social media post after the Umlazi Equality Court ordered her to do so within 30 days of the ruling. ) and apologized to the Indian community for using the derogatory term.
Mr Mgwenwe apologized on his Facebook page last week and in person on May 1 at a gathering hosted by Guru Acharya Shyam Ramanuj at the Shri Mariamman Temple on Mount Edgecombe in KwaZulu-Natal. did.
On April 5, the Equality Tribunal found against Mgwengwe for making racist posts on his controversial Kalu Chalu Facebook page following riots in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021. I ordered him to apologize for that. The riots claimed 354 lives and cost the economy R50 billion in urban destruction. Infrastructure and property.
Narend Ganesh, leader of the South African National Independence Congress, took the issue to court and successfully filed a hate speech lawsuit against Mngwenwe.
Ganesh told the court that Mugwenwe wrote: We will definitely triple what you did to innocent black people hundreds of times over. You need to know that you chestnuts never rest. ”
Mugwenwe made the remarks after 36 people, 33 of whom were black, were killed in Phoenix during the July 2021 riots.
The South African Human Rights Commission later revealed that a black man was targeted at a barricade in Phoenix, 25 kilometers northwest of Durban, and that the killing was racially motivated.
Brothers Dylan and Ned Govender were sentenced to seven years in prison last August for serious bodily injury, common assault and attempted murder in Phoenix's Palmview neighborhood.
Mr Ganesh told the court he did not want Mr Mugwenwe to be fined or jailed in an attempt to “settle the matter”.
But Mr Mngwenwe claimed in court papers that he made the comments in the context of already racist conversations taking place on his Facebook page.
“Many of my black brothers and sisters were inspired by the shocking and racist content of the Karoo Chalu live show and the flood of comments from fans at the time of the July riots. Where I commented, not on my page or any other platform,” Mngwenwe said.
“This proves that my comments were not isolated, were not intended to incite harm, and were in direct response to the harmful and racist insults on live video. Depending on the context, the applicant's misleading claims are placed in completely different light.
He argued that the word “coolie” meant “Indian worker” and was not hate speech.
Mugwenwe said repeatedly. email and guardian After the court ruled that the words were not hate speech, he apologized in a post on his Facebook page last week, writing: 2021 Live Show. It was a mistake to reply on social media with such words that could hurt the Indian community that has supported me since day one.
“I would also like to thank the judge for considering the circumstances of the case as I could never be found to be a racist in court. I truly and unreservedly apologize. God bless South Africa.” God bless you.”
Ganesh said he was satisfied with the Facebook apology, but felt Mugwenwe's in-person apology at the temple on May 1 was an attempt to gain political advantage.
“What else did you want him to say, kneel down to him?'' No, all I wanted him to admit was that what he said did amount to hate speech,'' Ganesh said. Told. “I accept the apology. He was asked by the court to apologize on social media, and he did so, and this matter has ended.”