SA couple shocked at racial slurs

A South African couple living near Nelson were stunned to discover racial slurs tagged all over their property in red paint.

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, had just sold their home in Richmond when they found the offensive words painted in bright red on their driveway and fence.

“On Sunday morning I woke up, just like a normal day and had coffee outside with my dog when I noticed there was spraypaint all over the fence, the mailbox and the driveway,” the male homeowner told the Herald.

The overnight incident has shocked the couple, who moved to New Zealand in 2016 to escape racist beliefs.

“Racism is quite rife in South Africa and it’s probably the main reason we left,” he said.

“We never had anything like this in SA and then you move to a First World country . . . now we are a victim of racism and vandalism all in one. It’s not very comforting.”

The man spent hours painting the driveway and trying to remove the red words on his property.

He wasn’t able to get the racial slurs off the fence and is concerned about replacing it in case they are targeted again before the new homeowners move in next month.

“I don’t want to be paying for a fence twice.”

However, he will replace it once they move out.

Tasman Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Marty Tunley said police were making inquiries and had offered support to the couple.