ANC appalled by Malema hate speech ruling

2011-09-12 15:09

Johannesburg - The ANC said on Monday it was appalled by the South Gauteng High Court's ruling that ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema's singing of the words "shoot the boer" amounted to hate speech.

The words undermined the dignity of people and were discriminatory and harmful, Judge Collin Lamont ruled.

"No justification exists allowing the words to be sung... the words were in any event not sung on a justifiable occasion."

ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said the party viewed the judgment as an attempt to rewrite the South African history which is not desirable and unsustainable.

"This ruling flies against the need to accept our past and to preserve our heritage as an organisation and as a people.

"The ANC will carefully study the judgment and understand its full implications before releasing a much more comprehensive response.

"In the meantime we will respect the decision of the court while investigating options of dealing with this judgment.

"Then we will explore every possibility to defend our history, our heritage and our traditions.