Cosatu vows to ‘hunt down racists’
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) had said it will take it upon itself to hunt down the perpetrators of racism and deal with them in their own way after a recent spate of “racist attacks” in the Western Cape.
In a statement yesterday, Cosatu said it was outraged at the racist att acks against workers in historically white areas in the Western Cape and would seek recourse on its own terms.
“Cosatu will hunt down and deal with the perpetrators, as this racist behaviour appears to be condoned by the premier (Helen Zille), who does nothing to condemn these attacks,” said Cosatu Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich (pictured).
“Cosatu calls on all its members and workers to report these types of acts directly to Cosatu so we can make an example of one.”
Ehrenreich told The Citizen the police were clearly not dealing with the matter, so the federation would carry out citizen arrests.
When asked if Cosatu’s statement could incite violence, Ehrenreich said they would take perpetrators to the police station and “kiss them on the cheek” – because their intentions were not to incite violence, but they might respond to violence.
On Sunday Muhammed Makungwa was on his way to work in Claremont when he was allegedly hit repeatedly with a sjambok (a heavy leather whip) by a motorist for no apparent reason.
Last month, Cynthia Joni, a domestic worker, was also beaten, allegedly because she was mistaken for a prostitute. Tim Orsin appeared in court on a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The case was postponed to November 27.
Ehrenreich said the courts were only giving “perpetrators a slap on the wrist”.
“That they can act in such a racist way – as the people attacked were black and the attackers were white – is testament to the deepening racist attitudes in the Western Cape,” said Ehrenreich.
Senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies Johan Burger said Cosatu’s statements were worrying, given the problem South Africa faced with acts of mob justice. “It sounds threatening, as if to promise some form of punishment and inciting unlawful acts,” said Burger.