Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) of Azania president Motsoko Pheko made a qualified apology on Tuesday for comments the Human Rights Commission (HRC) condemned as anti-gay.
The South African Broadcasting Corporation quoted Pheko as saying the PAC did not care if it failed to get votes from gays and lesbians as they faced extinction and could not bear children.
”The recent remarks attributed to me regarding gay citizens were stated in the context of the fact that South Africa’s Constitution in practice does not protect the landless, jobless, poor and the majority Africans who are economically excluded,” Pheko said in a statement on Tuesday night.
”If the manner in which I expressed my comments worked against nation building and caused offence, I apologise unconditionally. I would welcome the opportunity to engage with members of all progressive forces to discuss nation-building strategies.”
The HRC’s Leon Wessels said Pheko undermined the dignity of the gay and lesbian community.
The Gay and Lesbian Triangle Project was considering laying a formal charge with the HRC. Wessels said they would look into the matter.
He said the statement could not be seen as hate speech because it did not incite people to cause harm to others.
Pheko, whose party is struggling to increase its parliamentary seats beyond three, told the SABC: ”Some people have said that we are going to lose votes of the homosexuals — fine yes — indeed I think that they cannot be a population anyway as the population of homosexuals will disappear in no time — they can’t bear — you can’t have a man and a man having children, you can’t have a woman and a woman having children. A man needs a woman to have children.” – Sapa