I won’t be silenced, says Koch
COMEDIAN and ventriloquist Conrad Koch has described as hypocritical Steve Hofmeyr’s “crude attempt to censor” him.
And today in the High Court in Joburg, the man behind popular puppet Chester Missing was scheduled to challenge Hofmeyr’s interim protection order against him.
The order prohibits Koch from harassing the controversial Afrikaans musician, contacting his sponsors and business associates, making defamatory statements against him and tagging him on social media.
But in his court papers filed in the high court, Koch contends that Hofmeyr openly makes racist statements and should not cry foul when challenged on the same platforms he uses to degrade blacks
“Where people make statements on a public platform that are racist and provocative they must expect others to respond and contest these views.
“It is hypocritical and improper to promote openly racist statements in public, and then to cry foul when people use that same platform to expose that racism. The public statements made by Mr Hofmeyr are so extraordinary in their racism that they demanded a response,” Koch said.
He cited Hofmeyr’s tweet that “blacks were the architects of apartheid” and should be grateful to the minority group for making South Africa a “jewel of the world”; a recent incident during which Hofmeyr sang the apartheid anthem Die Stem at concerts in Australia and Mbombela in Mpumalanga; and his 2011 announcement that he would sing a song with the K-word in it if the Equality Court upheld EFF leader Julius Malema’s right to sing the Struggle song
Dubul’ibhunu (Shoot the Boer). The architects of apartheid tweet sparked a Twitter war, with Koch challenging companies sponsoring concerts in which Hofmeyr performs to withdraw their sponsorships.
One of his tweets was: “I know whites are not all racist, but Steve is. let us confront Steve.”
The order prevents Koch from threatening, harassing or making defamatory statements against Hofmeyr. He was also not allowed to tag him on social media websites such as Twitter or mention him in television and radio interviews.
Koch denies harassing Hofmeyr. “I don't believe I have ever harassed or acted unreasonably, let alone intimidated or threatened him,” he said.