The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Monday called on President Jacob Zuma to remove controversial former columnist Jon Qwelane as South Africa’s ambassador to Uganda.
“It is with dismay … that we contemplate the fact that Ambassador Qwelane remains as our emissary to Uganda,” DA international relations and cooperation spokesperson Stevens Mokgalapa said in a statement.
Qwelane had in the past “launched many verbal assaults on gay and lesbian people”, stating publicly that he “would have disowned his own children if they were gay”.
Mokgalapa said that in the light of “recent vicious homophobic attacks” in Uganda, South Africa needed to be able to represent its principles of human rights and respect for all to that country’s government.
“It was disappointing that the Zuma administration appointed Mr Qwelane in the first place.
“However, it should now realise that, in order to prosecute for rights for all and especially to do so in a hostile environment where lives are at stake, Mr Qwelane is entirely inappropriate.
“I shall be writing to President Zuma today petitioning for Mr Qwelane’s recall,” Mokgalapa said.
His statement follows the killing of Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato at his home outside the country’s capital, Kampala, last week. — Sapa