Zuma launches attack on ‘racist’ artists
They use art to perpetuate racism, says president in Human Rights speech
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma yesterday used his Human Rights Day speech to lash out at cartoonists and satirists who use their art to perpetuate racism. Speaking at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium in front of 25 000 people gathered to commemorate Human Rights Day, Zuma said: “We should… be aware of the fact that some racists use art as a form of expression.
“We should thus be alert to subtle and disguised racism perpetuated through the stereotyping of individuals or groups of people in the media, through cartoons and satire.”
This year’s event was held under the theme “South Africans United Against Racism”.
Many of the crowd who filled the Moses Mabhida Stadium wore ANC T-shirts.
Zuma called on South Africans to openly and consciously discuss white supremacy and how it manifested itself.
He said when white supremacy was held by people in positions of power, it undermined the nation’s efforts to achieve an equal and non-racial society.
“People must be vigilant and point out instances of racial discrimination in the provision of services in both the private and public sectors, should this exist.”
Zuma called on various sectors of society to run campaigns and awareness programmes on the manifestations of racism to eliminate denial and claims of ignorance about how racism showed itself.
“It is of critical importance to end the denial and the tendency to downplay accusations of racism and undertake defensive stances.”
He said the anger sparked by racist comments this year reminded South Africans that the vestiges of white supremacy and racism still existed.
“It became clear that there are people who still yearn for the past, where black people were treated like second-class citizens because of their skin colour.
“We know that the majority of South Africans abhor racism and racial discrimination. That is why our theme correctly says we are united against racism.”
He applauded black people who were treated as second-class citizens during apartheid and yet extended a hand of friendship and agreed to build a united, reconciled and non-racial society.
“This was important for the transition to a new society and was an enormous contribution to building a new South Africa,” Zuma said.
He also saluted white people who never closed their eyes to violations of human
dignity and crimes against humanity.
“We must work harder to eliminate the view that reconciliation is a one way process where the black majority extends a hand of friendship, but with little reciprocation from their white compatriots.”
Zuma said solutions to tackle racism should come from all sectors and individuals, not only the government.
He also told the crowd about the government’s initiatives that responded to calls made this year to tackle hate speech and hate crimes.
A national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance has been drafted.
There is also law being formulated to make hate crimes and hate speech a statutory offence.
“We urge all to participate in the shaping of this important legislation.
“We are aware of the fact that government cannot legislate against racist beliefs and prejudice,” Zuma said.