Ministers did not see apology
THE two ministers who were insulted by former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Edward, in his open letter last year said they were unaware of his apology.
Zuma was taken to the Equality Court in June last year by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) after he penned an open letter to Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan and his colleague, Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom.
In the letter, Edward called Hanekom “a white monopoly capitalist offspring – who is no better than a vile dog trained to maul a black skin”.
On Gordhan, he said: “One of the most corrupt cadres of the ANC who thinks African natives are no better than just being sugar cane cutters who must be forever subservient to a master like him for sustenance.”
At the time, Gordhan and Hanekom were part of the grouping in the ANC who were calling for Zuma to step down. This enraged Edward.
In a court agreement in May, the SAHRC and Zuma agreed that his open letter constituted hate speech.
Edward was ordered to apologise unconditionally and to pay a R60 000 fine. The fine was to be split between the historical Ohlange High School in Inanda, which was founded by the first president of the ANC, Langalibalele Dube and Umthombo.
This week, the SAHRC returned to the Equality Court, in a bid to have Zuma charged for contempt of court after failing to pay R12 500 that was part of the fine imposed on him for his open letter.
Asked this week if Edward had apologised, Hanekom said, “We have not yet seen any apology.”
Gordhan wouldn’t be drawn into commenting, also saying that he had not seen any apology from Edward.
Edward declined to comment and directed the Sunday Tribune to court documents.
In his documents filed in court, Zuma apologises to the nation, saying he was merely expressing his views and did not mean to cause any harm.
Edward had also apologised to the ANC in KZN last year.
Zuma has until January 22 to pay the outstanding balance owed in his hate speech case, or he will face an arrest warrant for contempt of court.