The action taken by the Human Rights Commission (HRC) against Faith Mazibuko, Gauteng MEC for Sport and Recreation, for her racist behaviour toward two senior managers was no more than a light rap on the knuckles while it warranted more severe punishment.
The FF Plus, however, welcomes the fact that the HRC did take action, but suspects that Mazibuko's behaviour was merely a symptom of a broader phenomenon of oppressing minorities, not only in Gauteng government circles, but also elsewhere.
Last month, the FF Plus lodged a complaint with the HRC against Mazibuko regarding her racist behaviour and the party requested the HRC to, in addition to investigating her behaviour toward fellow officials, also launch a wider investigation into the general employment practices of all the departments in the Gauteng government.
The request was made seeing as Mazibuko's statements created the impression that practices that are degrading and unfair toward minorities have become the norm in her department and that the same treatment is also given to minorities who are employed in other government departments in the province.
If the HRC does not have the ability or the manpower to conduct such an investigation, it must be handed over to an institution that is indeed able to determine whether the province's employment practices are implemented correctly and without discriminating against minorities.
It must also be determined if these practices are in line with the HRC's own 2016 report on employment equality that found that the national government is at fault as it makes appointments based on colour. The HRC recommended that appointments must be made based on socio-economic circumstances and not race.
It is, therefore, unacceptable that appointments are still made based on colour and this injustice simply cannot be further perpetuated by the degrading treatment of white, coloured and Indian employees.
The FF Plus and, as premier candidate for Gauteng, I personally demand a thorough investigation into the matter. As a Chapter 9 Institution, the HRC must execute the recommendations made in its own 2016 report.
The discrimination against minorities even in government circles underlines the fact that the ANC in Gauteng must be replaced by a coalition government.
Should the FF Plus be part of such a coalition government, the party will ensure that merit is used as a criterion for making appointments and that racial discrimination is put to an end, even if the coalition government has to take the national government to court. The FF Plus will fight back against unfairness.
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