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JOHANNESBURG: A South African rights body told a local organiser of
the 2010 football World Cup on Friday to apologize for using the
word “kaffir”, a term considered grossly offensive by the black
population.
The South African Human Rights Commission,
created by the constitution, sent a letter to Irvin Khoza, chairman
of FIFA’s 2010 local organizing committee, urging him to retract
the widely condemned slur.
“Your statement has caused hurt and indignity
to many South Africans and we do believe that irrespective of your
motive at the time you should, in order that we may move forward,
apologize to the people of South Africa for the remarks that you
made,” read the letter.
Through his statement, Khoza had advanced the
idea that black people’s thought processes and intellectual
abilities were inferior, said commission chairman Jody Kollapen.
Khoza, who is black himself, publicly told a
journalist on Monday to “stop thinking like a kaffir.”
Kollapen said South Africa should use its
hosting of the World Cup in 2010 to display progress in the fight
against racism and prejudice.
Khoza was given until February 29 to apologize,
failing which he ran the risk of being dragged before a special
court set up to deal with cases of racial discrimination.
“We . . . trust that you will revert to us by
not later than the 29th February 2008 with your response, failing
which we shall have no option but to consider instituting
proceedings in the Equality Court,” warned the letter.
-- AFP
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