Search for what unifies us
LET’S make no bones about it. When Dawie Kriel posted his racist rant on Facebook insulting Indians for lighting fireworks during Diwali celebrations last year, he deserved to be prosecuted.
That brand of blatant racism is totally unacceptable and unjustified in this day and age and it was only right he was hauled before a court of law to answer for his despicable outbursts.
And after hearing evidence from witnesses, Kriel was finally found guilty last week on a charge of crimen injuria.
Magistrate Themba Sishi had no hesitation in declaring Kriel’s behaviour insulting, degrading and humiliating before adjourning the trial to March 27 for sentencing.
Denigrating Indian people by referring to them as “devil worshippers” is not just insulting. It is a blatant act of racial intolerance and also displays pathetic ignorance of a great religion and its profound teachings.
Worse still was his jibe that Indian South Africans should go back to India – almost as if this country is the sole preserve of a chosen few.
Kriel needs to understand that Indian people have as much right to be here as any other South African.
Our country’s constitution as well as the Freedom Charter are quite clear and unequivocal on this point. “We, the people of South Africa, recognise the injustices of our past; honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.”
People like Kriel need to realise that Indian South Africans are not here on some temporary sojourn. Like other people of colour, we may have been treated as second-class citizens under apartheid, but are now fullyfledged South Africans under democracy.
It now remains for the court to decide on an appropriate sentence for Kriel and the magistrate will no doubt delve into whether the man is remorseful and undertakes to show more respect and tolerance to people of other communities in future.
Our country has been plagued by a rash of racist outbursts on social media in recent times which have bedevilled race relations and social cohesion in our society.
We cannot afford to allow such bigoted behaviour to flourish.
Whatever sentence is meted out to Kriel, hopefully it will serve as a clear message to all South Africans that we are in this new-found democracy together.
If we wish to build a strong nation together, we should celebrate our diversity and strive to search for what unifies as South Africans – not what divides us.