In a time where South Africa is beleagured with unprecented xenophobic attacks and the long lasting effects of it, from which the North West Province also did not escape, it is required from responsible leadership to convey a strong message against xenophobia. The same goes for racism.

In the North West Province recently the Premier as well as the MEC for Transport, Roads and Community Safety, MEC Penye Vilakazi, displayed this leadership in addressing the outrageous racist public incitement after the Skielik incident.

On the other end of the scale, generic statements accusing certain unidentified individuals and groups of racism and xenophobia causes polarisation and should be identified for what it is: - this is nothing more than a racist or xenophobic expression of what is either harboured within or a deliberate expression of written or unwritten policy soaked with xenophobia or racism. Statements such as these tend to become the seeds that will grow and the harvest will be more xenophobia and racism.

Sometimes these statements come disguised as a Trojan horse in luring people to read the racist message contained within.

Such a despicable statement was recently published on the front page of The Mail and I want to quote: “Calling for unity among South Africans (This is the Trojan Horse part) Maloyi (ANC NW Chairperson) said that there were still small groups and individuals who practised racism. Stressing the need for tolerance and acceptance of all races in the country, he called on all whites to condemn racism.” He continued : “Some of our white farmers must stop ill-treatment of farm labourers.”

When will the same Maloyi call on, and reluctantly I am using his racist terminology, blacks to condemn racism, or on coloureds or Indians or Pakistanis. In isolating the white community, as apparently the only group capable of racism and farmers as solely being responsible for the ill-treatment of labourers he sowed the seeds of racism. It is more likely than not that when racist and farm attacks happen when these seeds come to fruition the same Maloyi will be silent somewhere in a dark and smokefilled room planning another assault on the minds of susceptible people.

The DA condemns all forms of racism – whether it is verbal or physical or in any other way or even when it becomes disguised as a Trojan Horse.

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