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S. African’s racist rant at black police officer sparks outrage

When police came to assist a South African who was robbed in her car, the victim launched into a violent, racist rant against black people - including black police officers - that was filmed by a witness. Though the incident took place in March, the video was only made public last week when it was broadcast by South African television channel eNCA. Since then, many people have condemned the woman’s racist language.
In the beginning of the footage, which was filmed at night, you can see the woman talking on her mobile phone while pacing around her car. 

"This happens all the time, all the time. The kaffirs [Editor’s note: This is an insult used against black people in South Africa] here in JHB [Johannesburg] are terrible. I’m so sick of it!"



Several police officers arrive to assist her. One of them is black. The woman continues her racist rant, this time directed at the officers: "Every single person who answers the phone here is a black person and they are clueless! […] If you people were trying to assist me, you would have answered one of the fifty calls that I made! […] Listen here, I’m not going to change my mind, I hate the f****** bastards!" 

She then starts comparing the black people living in two different South African towns: "I can tell you now, the calibre of blacks in this town vary from the calibre of blacks in Durban. They’re opinionated, they’re arrogant and they’re just plain and simple useless. I’m happy for a white person to assist me, or a coloured person or an Indian person. I do not want a black person to assist me."

The video then shows the woman getting into her car. A police officer repeats that he and his colleagues are just there to help her. She then says: “If I see a black person, I will drive them over. If I have a gun, I will shoot everyone.” 

According to TV channel eNCA, the woman is a real estate agent in Durban.

"You see a lot more racism online because people don’t have to use their real names"

Brett Fish Anderson is a South African writer and blogger who often writes about issues of race in his society. 
 

People are more likely to say racist things in public when they are in stressful situation, just like this woman. It also comes out when people are drunk or when they are at big sporting events. Often, little incidents can trigger this kind of tirade. That said, we don’t see these sort of scenes happen in public every day. What we do see is people posting racist things online because they can hide behind a fake name. 

I noticed that when people say this kind of thing, their friends and family often say “Oh, she isn’t usually like that!” or something of that nature. But I still think these outbursts reveal that people do have racist thoughts. 

"People who make racist comments are often judged most harshly on social media”
It is very rare for people to be prosecuted for racist comments. However, they are often judged severely on social media. When they are caught on camera, it can have a very real impact on their social and professional lives. 
For example, the video we are talking about was widely shared and most of the comments are very critical of the woman. 


 


I did read one comment that was more sympathetic. It mentioned that she had just been robbed – as if that gave her the right to insult and threaten all black people. 

Even though racism is still widespread in South Africa, I do feel like mentalities are changing. For example, I am part of the movement #NotOnOurWatch, which encourages people to speak out when they witness racist acts or derogatory language, whether in real life or online. That said, we still have a long way to go. 

The South African Human Rights Commission is now working on the case of this video. The police has pressed chargesagainst the woman for "crimen injuria" – a willful injury to someone’s dignity, caused by the use of racially offensive language or gestures.

Earlier this year, another woman, who compared black people to monkeys on Facebook, also sparked widespread condemnation on social media. On June 10, she was ordered by a judge to donate 8,700 euros to a charity in punishment for her hateful speech.

Source: France 24 Observers

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