MK Party MP Andile Mngxitama has said he will not apologise for his tweet about the attack on North West cattle farmer Donovan Marx. He said his words were taken out of context.
Mngxitama faced criticism after he wrote that cutting off Marx’s ears was “symbolic”. He said it was meant to “denote the refusal of land thieves to listen”.
“I won’t apologise for something that they chose to take out of context. They have a selective outrage over crime in this country, and that’s what they must explain instead,” Mngxitama told IOL.
He said black farmworkers face abuse every day without the same public anger. He said that when one white farmer was attacked, suspects were arrested within days.
Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack. One of them once worked on the farm, according to The South African.
Mngxitama also spoke about his comment on the farmer’s injuries. “When I said ears are symbolic for listening, I did not take away the horrible crime against the farmer, which we condemn,” he said.
He said he meant it as a metaphor. He said people should also listen to the cries of black farmworkers and to the unresolved question of land ownership.
His comments came shortly after EFF leader Julius Malema also condemned the farm attack. Malema spoke at a rally at Orlando Stadium over the weekend.
Malema said the struggle chant he is known for singing was never meant to be taken literally. “The killing on the farms of our own farmers must stop. We never promote the killing of white farmers or black farmers. How can we kill the people who are feeding us?” he said.
Malema also called on police to hand the suspects over to the EFF. “Those people who have killed that farmer in Ventersdorp must be brought here to Orlando Stadium. We want to teach them a lesson because the police have failed them,” he said.
The South African Human Rights Commission said it has received complaints against Mngxitama about his post on Marx. SAHRC Commissioner Tshepo Madlingozi said the commission is assessing the complaints under its complaint handling procedure.
Madlingozi said the outcome of the assessment will be shared in due course, under the SAHRC Act and the Equality Act.
“The Commission wishes to remind members of the public that the right to freedom of expression is not absolute,” the commission said in a statement to The South African. It said the Constitution and the Equality Act ban words meant to cause harm or spread hatred on any of the listed grounds.
Source: this article is based on reporting by The South African. Image: The South African. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.