As evidenced in last week’s sentencing of Vicki Momberg, the courts are being increasingly intolerant of racial outbursts. Ironically, leaked audio recording released of Momberg’s call to 10111 operators helped seal her fate. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, she was sentenced in the Randburg Magistrate's Court to three years' imprisonment, with one year suspended, for her K-word rant at a police constable, David Mkhondo. In the Justice Department matter, accountant Lourens Botes and chief clerk Natascha Steynberg Roos allegedly referred to senior accounting clerk Wisani Mkhari in derogatory terms as they discussed work politics on Facebook. Mkhari (42) was alerted to the posts two weeks ago and laid a complaint. The posts, which the Sunday Times says it has seen, have been deleted. Mkhari said he had been traumatised by the posts. ‘It is the same as calling someone the K-word. The fact that they posted it on Facebook several times means they are used to calling black people all sorts of derogatory names.’ SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) provincial manager Buang Jones said the complaint had been brought to its attention last week and a preliminary assessment determined that there was a prima facie violation of the right to equality and human dignity. ‘The commission will consult with the complainant and thereafter determine whether to institute legal proceedings in the Equality Court or whether the complaint merits a full investigation,’ said Jones.

Source: Legal Brief