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“I would like to apologise if I have offended you or anyone,” the SAHRC quoted one of the students saying. It did not name the individual.

The commission found the comments, posted by former students of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, “amounted to prima facie utterances of hate speech with the potential of inciting violence”.

Two of the three former students attended a meeting convened by SAHRC deputy chair Pregs Govender.

In May, the two commented on a Facebook message insulting black people posted by one Ken Sinclair. The university suspended Sinclair after the comments. He had yet to respond to the commission’s requests for a meeting.

The commission’s preliminary findings were that the former students’ utterances “were hurtful and infringed on the dignity of black South Africans”.

The SAHRC said it welcomed the response by the former students.

They agreed to make amends by taking part in community services, and to participate in SAHRC outreach programmes to educate other young people.

The commission said it had received many complaints about derogatory and hateful comments on social media.

“Users of these platforms do not realise that their comments are publicised and instantly available online. Once these comments are posted they are in the public domain,” the SAHRC said.

Comments

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Sun May 19 16:44:40 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 31, 2012

cocolucho

Dont believe sinclair for a second, community service wont help that boy.
Isn't he the one that said that he wants to shoot the k*****rs, maybe thats what he will do during his "community service". Keep him away from all people of colour.
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Jul 31, 2012

hungry

@cocolucho
that is so true you don't know what he'll do to all people of colour.

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Jul 31, 2012

MommaC

"It did not name the individual."

Why not?
If they had the audacity to make the comments then they should at least have the balls to take the heat from them.


cocolucho

That boy child should be sent to live in a Somalian refugee camp for a couple of years. He certainly shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a computer or a cell phone
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Jul 31, 2012

Mapholobakay1

I still believe we should have had a civil war in this country at teach these arrogant racists a thing or two.

I can not be called names in Europe and America and still be discriminated in my own country. I bleksemed the white guy in the bus who was uttering racist cr@p at me. We must all do that cos toothless organisations like SAHRC or governed by the same race.
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Jul 31, 2012

Dzel

"IF" ... "IF YOU HAVE OFFENDED (US)".

That is not a sign of someone who is remorseful of their actions. They are sorry they got caught and punished, not for their racist views.

You deserve everything coming your way and more, my jaw dropped when I read those comments for the first time. I could not understand how someone so young could be that racist. The two deserve the harshest sentence possible and more inspite of the so-called apology.
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Jul 31, 2012

MommaC

Mapholobakay1

That is because you are young and ignorant. A full on civil war is the last thing SA ever needed. Just look at the other parts of the world and see how many dozens of decades it takes to overcome the effects of a civil war.

Nobody should put up with racist utterances - regardless of what colour the person is. It is when we have people in the pubs who stand up and say 'that is unacceptable language' or on public transport and say 'I will not put up with that'. Then we know that it is not a universal problem but one that is only perpetuated by a few ignorant fools
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Jul 31, 2012

ntshware-ke-yawa

people must learn that nowadays we have most advanced technological devices that could assist in tracing not only the ordinary Tom,Harry and Peter but most well-organised mafia and high crime syndicates for as long as one is using the very same networks that are accessed by everyone not forgetting our Intelligence Institute.Remember the story of ANC cadre (Mr Kunene) and his e-mail saga.
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Jul 31, 2012

Shredder

@Mapholobakay1
I still believe we should have had a civil war in this country at teach these arrogant racists a thing or two.

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White people were going to annihilate you quickly. They were in control of the army, police force and even some of their civilians possessed firearms. We don't need war in South Africa.
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Jul 31, 2012

cocolucho

@mommaC
I hear that somalia is a great place to relax in and very hospitable, I think that north korea might be better I think that he should try getting into it with the help of his friend and once they get tired of it, they should try and get out by themselves. If he manages to survive that then we know that he is trully sorry.
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Jul 31, 2012

MommaC

cocolucho

LOL
I like the way you think :)
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