The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has welcomed the findings of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) that party leader Julius Malema’s utterances about white people and Indians do not amount to hate speech.
The SAHRC has cleared the EFF leader following a number of complaints brought against him. Five complaints were brought against Malema and a member of the party between 2016 and 2018.
These utterances, on public platforms, have provoked anger among others, with some calling for the Human Rights Commission to find him guilty of hate speech.
But the commission says none of the utterances met the threshold for hate speech.
Doctor Shanelle Van Den Berg, a senior researcher at the SAHRC, told the media that although Malema’s comments do not constitute hate speech, they were harmful and hurtful to fellow South Africans.
The EFF national communications manager, Sixolise Gcilishe says the party will continue to fight for the rights of all citizens who live below the poverty line.
“The EFF welcomes the findings of hate speech by the SAHRC on the party leader. We reiterate the fact that we will not be moved by such efforts. We will continue to fight, maybe it is time people joined instead of crying non-existence hate speech.”
