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DA slams racism slur

President Thabo Mbeki's claim that entrenched racism within South Africa's white community is behind the rising tide of anti-crime campaigns in the country is unreasonable, untenable and "dangerously out of kilter", says the official opposition.

President Thabo Mbeki's claim that entrenched racism within South Africa's white community is behind the rising tide of anti-crime campaigns in the country is unreasonable, untenable and "dangerously out of kilter", says the official opposition.

DA safety and security spokesman Dianne Kohler- Barnard said yesterday: "Thabo Mbeki has now indelibly defined his presidency as one of the great eras of denial in South African history.

"First he will be remembered as the president who denied the HIV-Aids link. And in the last days of his term of office, he has now stated that he believes that white racists are to blame for this country's perception of crime."

Kohler-Barnard was reacting to Mbeki's weekly newsletter, published on Friday on the ANC Today website, in which the president said a "massive propaganda campaign has been conducted on the issue of crime, in many instances without any regard and respect for the truth".

Kohler-Barnard asked: "What massive propaganda campaign is it that the president is referring to? A campaign on the issue of crime?" - Sapa

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