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Media Statement: Apology by Mr Lindsay Maasdorp following utterances made after the death of three white learners at Driehoek Hoerskool

Attention: Editors and Reporters

05 October 2022

In the matter of Solidarity & Another v Black First Land First & 2 Others EQ2/19 Equality Court Gauteng Local Division, a complaint of hate speech in terms of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 (‘the Equality Act’), was instituted against the Black First Land First (First Respondent) and two members of Black First Land First (the Second and Third Respondents) for comments they made following the death of three white learners arising from the collapse of a bridge at Driehoek Hoerskool in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. 

In the judgment, handed down 2 March 2022, the Equality Court found that the comments, made by Mr Lindsay Maasdorp, the second respondent and Mr Zwelakhe Dubasi, third respondent, amounted to hate speech and ordered, as part of the remedy, that both should apologise and that their apologies be communicated to the South African public by the South African Human Rights Commission. To access the judgement please follow the link https://www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/Solidarity%20v%20BLF%20EQC%20Judgment%20U.pdf

Second respondent, Mr Lindsay Maasdorp has communicated his apology to the Commission. His apology can be accessed via the following link:

https://www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/Apology%20Maasdorp.jpg

Third respondent, Mr Zwelake Dubasi’s apology can be accessed via the following link: https://www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/Zwelakhe%20Dubasi%20Apology.pdf.

ENDS

ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Wisani Baloyi – Acting Communications Coordinator Tel: 081 016 8308 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Alucia Sekgathume – External Communications Tel: 082 689 2364 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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