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The civil rights organisation AfriForum said that President Jacob Zuma is playing with fire by making himself guilty of incitement of ethnic conflict. AfriForum’s reaction follows after Zuma said yesterday in Pretoria that Africans lived in peace with each other and had fun, but then came the “others”. This pronouncement follows after Zuma also earlier claimed that all the problems in the country started with the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck. 

According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, Zuma’s pronouncements are an uncovered attempt to exempt Afrikaners and whites in particular as scapegoat in the country. “Zuma should know that there are a lot of examples where ethnic conflict was preceded by the pronouncements of irresponsible leaders that declared ethnic groups as scapegoats,” said Kriel. 

Kriel made it clear that AfriForum will see to it that Zuma is called to responsibility before international courts of justice if his “rash” pronouncements give rise to increased ethnic conflict. “In circumstances where the torture and cruelty with which some farm and other murders are accompanied by, already indicate a growing racial hatred, Zuma’s pronouncements are inexcusable,” added Kriel. According to Kriel, Zuma’s latest pronouncements are the most evident yet that he wishes to target and govern against Afrikaners and other minority groups.      

Kriel made a plea to all South Africans who want to follow AfriForum’s example of promoting mutual recognition and respect between communities, to reject Zuma’s polarised pronouncements and rather help build healthy relationships in the country. “It is in the interest of all of us that we are not dragged into an evil cycle of racial hatred by irresponsible leaders such as Zuma,” concluded Kriel.

Issued by Afriforum