Fred Esbend
The South African Human Rights Commission has expressed the “gravest concern” at the growing number of racial incidents taking place in South Africa.
With the United Nations World Conference against Racism due to kick off in Durban in three weeks, three racial incidents made media headlines this week.
In Port Elizabeth on Saturday two policemen exchanged blows when a white officer confronted a black officer at the Walmer police satellite station over the use of a police vehicle.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Ditala Mphumelelo described the matter as “pure racism”. The matter is being investigated.
On Sunday morning, five young black Port Elizabeth men who had pulled up at a petrol station in the predominantly white suburb of Summerstrand were attacked by six white men.
One of the victims, Mandla Payi, of Bluewater Bay, sustained a gash to the head after being hit with a baseball bat.
Another victim, Ngawethu Lubelwana of Rowallan Park, was slapped around and his head banged against the side of their car.
Lubelwana is the son of political activist Topsy Madaka, who was abducted, tortured and murdered with student leader Simphiwo Mtimkhulu in 1982 by former security policemen.
The attack was condemned by his family, who said Lubelwana had never fully recovered from the trauma of knowing his father was killed by white policemen, and after this incident he will “never trust white people”.
“At no stage did we provoke them. They simply ordered us to leave the garage,” said Lubelwana. Police are hoping to make arrests soon.
Monday night’s racial attack on George businesswoman Wanda Stoffberg who may be scarred for life after two white masked men attacked her and carved the letter “K” into her left breast, branding her a “kaffir lover” has drawn criticism from across political divides.
Minister of Safety and Security Steve Tshwete phoned Stoffberg and told her he had ordered the country’s top detectives to investigate the attack.
The attack on Stoffberg stems from her plans to open a butchery on her smallholding. Some of her neighbours are strongly opposing the plans as they claim the business will bring “unsavoury elements to the area” and they do not want “blacks and coloureds there”.
Stoffberg said the trouble started when she planned appealing against the Democratic Alliance-run council’s decision to rescind her application for a business licence.
Eastern Cape Human Rights commissioner Tom Manthata described the incidents as “regrettable” and “deplorable”.