Date : 22 March 2001
This serves as a response to a Democratic Party complaint relating to my alleged behaviour on 30 January 2001 in the Provincial (KwaZulu Natal) Legislature.
It is unfortunate that the media seems to have tried and sentenced me even before all the facts had been placed on the table and even before the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) had begun its investigation. Although I feel the accusation from the DP is trying to deflect attention away from the real racists, I feel I should place certain factors on the table so that the media can make an informed opinion on this matter.
There are certain factors to be observed:
1. The Legislature is the master of its proceedings.
2. That your interest in the matter as a publication goes in as far as my alleged behaviour was allegedly directed not to an individual or a group of individuals but to a particular race. In this case meaning whites.
3. It must be noted that the DP, at least in my understanding, is not representative of white South Africans. The DP is not synonymous to white South Africans and anything directed against the DP is not necessarily directed against white South Africans who are spread out in all political parties, including the African National Congress of which I am a member of its National Executive Committee.
4. In its media statements the DP claims that at least I made these alleged racist gestures twelve times. Yet in all these occasions no Member of Legislature, including DP members, drew the attention of the Speaker to this 'unparliamentary, offensive racist behaviour'. Let me also add that I do not count how many times does my own hand touch my own nose and what is the meaning of that.
5. It is only after the parliamentary sitting had adjourned that the DP raised their complaint with the Speaker. This reduces the DP complaint to a cheap gossip. How far does the SAHRC investigate gossips?
6. I am alleged to have shouted aloud 'abelungu' during my alleged racist gestures. Even then no Member of the Legislature, including DP members, drew the attention of the Speaker to this allegedly racist remark made loudly. They wait for the sun to set and complain in dark corners. I do not count how many times per day I speak of 'abelungu' but at all times it has never been racist. In anyway, all proceedings in the Legislature are recorded. The SAHRC may request the recordings of the day from the Speaker to judge for itself whether there is any semblance of truth in the DP complaint or it remains a cheap gossip.
7. A letter from the Speaker to Belinda Scott, DP Chief Whip and MPP, exonerates me and in part says: "... I did make some investigations and it is unfortunate that I did not find something tangible I could work on."
The public would also note that the traditionally white parties have tried every trick in the book to gag me. On several occasions the DP leadership has threatened to take me to courts, the Board of Jewish Deputies and even the SAHRC. The Freedom Front has in the past reported me to the SAHRC and I was cleared by this organisation. Over the past twenty-five years I have consistently fought against any form of racism. I was prepared to sacrifice my own life and future if it needed to be to achieve a non-racial society. Now I stand accused of racism by a party whose non-racial credentials are at best questionable. Of course, this does not mean I am beyond reproach on matters of racism.
Yours in the Struggle Against Real Racists,
Issued by: KwaZulu-Natal Dept of Housing
Dumisani Makhaye - MPP and KwaZulu Natal MEC for Housing.