Nigel's being pierced on

2003-08-11 22:45

Cobus Grobler

Cape Town - Pressure is mounting against chat show radio station Cape Talk after a presenter branded Afrikaans Springbok rugby players "stupid Dutchmen" who should be sent packing because there are too many in the team.

Even the ANC is wondering whether an example should be made of breakfast show presenter Nigel Pierce. Some say the station should fire him and offer an apology.

On Monday morning Pierce was unrepentant. He refused to apologise on the air for his vindictive attack on the national team or his Afrikaans compatriots. He repeated Friday's remark, saying 80% of the team was Afrikaans, even adding there was an Afrikaans plot to keep players such as Bob Skinstad, Robbie Fleck and Brent Russel out.

NNP media director Alie van Jaarsveld said he was disappointed that the issue of disparaging and offensive remarks had not been laid to rest. The NNP is collecting opinions to lodge a complaint with watchdog institutions.

The NNP accepts it is not station policy to make irresponsible statements. "But it is harmful to nation building and reconciliation. No one has the right to abuse freedom of expression and, contrary to the spirit of the constitution, attack another group."

Politicians have taken Cape Talk to task for allowing the remarks.

ANC MP Randy Pieterse, who serves on the sport and recreation parliamentary portfolio committee, said Cape Talk's man was "talking nonsense. Is the star wing Ashwin Willemse, who played a hell of a test at the weekend, together with Breyton Paulse and Chester Williams, all 'dumb Dutchmen' just because they speak Afrikaans? He has it in for Afrikaans and is stooping low."

FF spokesperson Leon Louw said: "We demand an apology for the racist remarks in the name of the Afrikaans community. His belief in English superiority is only too visible."

NA MP Cassie Aucamp described the attack as an "absolute insult for Afrikaans. It's an example of gutter presenting that also borders on hate speech. Didn't the views of "Boerseun prop" Richard Bands completely disprove Pierce's views?"

DA spokesperson Donald Lee said this type of "negative stereotyping of Afrikaners was an example of blatant racism . . . and reprehensible. But free speech should not be censored."

On enquiry ANC MP Pierre Jeanne Gerber said: "Nigel who? Don't pay any attention to people who sit in small rooms and talk shit! Under our constitution everyone has a right to make an idiot of himself!"

- Die Burger