Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) CEO Sello Hatang has raised concerns over rising racism and what he terms as the “denial of apartheid crimes”.
This after former deputy president FW De Klerk retracted and apologised for saying that apartheid was not a crime against humanity.
While the foundation has welcomed the retraction, Hatang says such statements hinder nation-building and reconciliation.
“We believe that this kind of statement, we want to emphasise does not take us anywhere in terms of nation-building and reconciliation path that Nelson Mandela put us on but also in terms of tackling the difficult systematic issues the nation is dealing with.”
Hatang called for engagement with the FW de Klerk Foundation in a bid to curb rising racism.
“In terms of engaging with the FW De Klerk Foundation, we believe that’s the only way forward. The rise of racism and the rise of denial of crimes such as apartheid is something that we are seeing progressing and I think if we are to do anything right is to continue to engage with those kinds of forces with the view of ensuring that we can then transform our nation into one that sees the woods for the trees,” says Hatang.
In the apology, the FW de Klerk Foundation apologised for what it said was confusion caused by the former president’s statement, saying it remains committed to a democratic South Africa.
READ | Full retraction by the FW de Klerk Foundation on apartheid comments:
Statement widely criticised
The statement elicited huge criticism from political parties with a march being planned by a group of activists to the offices of the FW de Klerk Foundation in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) raised objections against his presence in Parliament during the State of the Nation Address last week, saying De Klerk has the blood of innocent people on his hands.
WATCH | “Apartheid cannot be compared to genocide, there was never genocide under apartheid” – FW de Klerk, 2 February 2020:
WATCH | Prior to their walkout at #SONA2020 the EFF made reference to an SABC News interview with the last apartheid president, FW De Klerk denying that apartheid was a crime against humanity. FULL INTERVIEW > https://t.co/Kwhd7YG60N pic.twitter.com/VZBssG3ve4
— SABC News Online (@SABCNewsOnline) February 13, 2020
