Cosatu’s hate speech Constitution?

“Let me clarify one thing. I hate no Jew (for that matter a great admirer of Ronnie Kasrils, Steven Friedman and other millions of Jews who refuse to be silenced on the basis of their nationality by Zionists) and organised a march not to anyone’s neighbourhood, but to offices of an organisation that I considered the enemy of peace and that is the Zionist Federation. I am aware that so many Jews are on the side of justice and only those Jews are people I hold in high esteem, but not those who silently support the massacres, but expect us to regard them as human beings. Surely, the threats and insults hurled at me and my comrades for merely marching peacefully against an organisation that has openly supported murder and insulted all of us who stand on the side of Justice is no crime, particularly in a democratic country, am not sure in a country that still practices apartheid. If the offices of the Zionist Federation and that loud-mouthed Rabbi and his SABJD were in town we would have marched there. All we wanted, as we still want to target are all who represent evil and suffering, whether its companies, individuals, offices, etc. We are working on identifying them now. It’s a pity if they are in residential areas, which unfortunately will not deter us. No one must enjoy peace while supporting and promoting the suffering of others, so goes our believe and we shall enforce it to its fullest.” (Bongani Masuku — Cosatu)

On March 5 Masuku addressed a meeting at Wits University wherein he once again adopted the same theme. As may be seen by clicking on the link, the issue of whether his conduct is anti-Semitic or not is irrelevant to Masuku. I’m glad he has admitted this because that irritating habit of denying that something is anti-Semitic by disguising it as anti-Zionism was becoming tiresome. Let’s put his cards on the table — Masuku hates Jews. As set out above he considers most sub-human, those who are quiet (I assume who don’t say what he wants them to) need rooting out and there is no area or Jew he won’t attack if they don’t support his views.

Anti-Semitism is racist in terms of our law and accordingly Masuku is of the view that South African law doesn’t apply to him unless — I assume — he believes those laws are worthy of his consideration. If you have regard to more of Masuku’s wisdom set out in these exchanges as well as his call for Jews who don’t agree with him to leave South Africa then you get the general idea.

Just out of interest to Cosatu who are going to play a greater part in the next government I thought I might add the “offending section” from our Constitution:

16. Freedom of expression

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes ¬

a. freedom of the press and other media;
b. freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;
c. freedom of artistic creativity; and
d. academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.

2. The right in subsection (1) does not extend to ¬

a. propaganda for war;
b. incitement of imminent violence; or
c. advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

I would ask Cosatu simply for confirmation that they support the views expressed by Masuku herein. I’m not interested in your take on the conflict in the Middle East — feel free to see my views thereon — I’m referring to these specific views. If they are of the opinion that Masuku is in fact correct then I must respect their decision. I must also advise all companies with Jewish owners or links that the contracts that they have signed with Cosatu are unenforceable at law as the trade union does not recognize the entire body of South African Law. Accordingly, and in light of the difficulty in trying to establish which parts of the law they do recognize and at what point in time — for example racism which Masuku rejects as binding upon him — their contracts with you must be considered void for vagueness or at worst unenforceable in terms of South African law.

In order to assist Masuku I have made my views on the conflict patently clear and he may view them on this site at his leisure. What they are, for the purposes hereof, are irrelevant. In terms of this debate as far as Masuku is concerned consider me the head Zionist. Now, as a sub-human, I request Masuku to assist me with the following. The next time you plan to lead a march through a Jewish residential area in Johannesburg please informs us 24 hours ahead of the time. Then have the decency to be at the front of that march. You have my written undertaking that regardless of whether your march is made up of 200 or 100 000 that I will be waiting for you on my own along the route. Along with any petition please bring along one A4 page of that anti-Semitic filth which you can then hand to me. Then for posterity, and regardless of all your followers, I will ensure the doctors spend the next two days trying to remove that page from your stomach, which I will put there down your throat.

As Masuku’s views don’t take into consideration how ridiculous attacking people who are “silent” on his pet hate and all the rest of that bilge really is, I won’t waste any further time on discussing it here. There are two lengthy posts on this site dealing with the issues concerned for those who are interested.

If Masuku would like to answer this post I would expect him to start by confirming why with Africa having many conflicts with casualties far in advance of anything seen in the Israeli-Palestinian one, conditions infinitely worse and long-term prospects far bleaker, a South African trade union ignores all of that and makes a conflict from another continent its priority? Then he can add on that garbage about “hating no Jew”. While he is at it perhaps he can explain which laws we as South Africans are expected to obey or should we simply disregard the ones we don’t believe are appropriate?

Things that people feel are in the greater good ie sort of make the law up as we go along? In hindsight I think Masuku should be given an award. Fifty million South Africans all believing that the laws on tax, speeding fines, rates, levies and the like surely cannot apply to them; united at last. I’ll send out an email to all my clients telling them which laws they don’t recognize which just happen to coincide with the charges being brought against them.

The Bongani Masuku law (or “anarchy” in its short form) brought to you by the makers of Cosatu — apply it to any section of South African law you don’t like.

Don’t just ignore the law — Masuku it. (Hope he’s not allergic to paper)

Cartoon: Bongani Masuku News for Jews