Jewish News

Bergman to ANC: Control pig-headed affiliates

DA MP Darren Bergman, delivered a Member Statement in Parliament today on the Cosas pig’s head incident. Bergman called on “the ANC and its affiliates to act responsibly and to protect the rights of minority groups to exist in this country as equal South African citizens”.

Published

10 years ago

November 4, 2014

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ANT KATZ

Bergman, who is also deputy shadow Minister of Sport and Recreation, said that “the placing of a pig’s head in the halaal section is offensive to both the Muslim and Jewish communities”.

The DA was referring to the incident where a Congress of SA Students (Cosas) member placed a pig’s head in the halaal section of the meat counter at Woolworths in Sea Point. A picture of the incident was widely tweeted by an ANC branch. Cosas has since threatened to continue placing pigs’ heads in more Woolies branches.

RIGHT: DA MP Darren Bergman

Bergman’s full statement:

The DA condemns in the strongest possible terms the senseless act of COSAS to plant a pig’s head in a halaal/kosher section of a store in Sea Point in a misguided attempt at protest.

The DA supports the right of free expression however this right must be expressed within the bounds of a Constitutional Democracy that is based on human dignity and equality, and that will not tolerate advocacy of hatred based on ethnicity and religion.

The nature of the act was in contrary to our fundamental principles of dignity, respect and tolerance of religious beliefs and must be condemned unreservedly.

The placing of a pig’s head in the halaal section is offensive to both the Muslim and Jewish communities.

The DA supports the finding of a peaceful solution to the Middle East crisis, however senseless antics do not help to take the serious cause further.

The DA calls on the ANC and its affiliates to act responsibly and to protect the rights of minority groups to exist in this country as equal South African citizens.

The SAJBD’s protest over the pig’s head

Bergman was also present at the Board’s march in Sea Point last week (SEE: Jewish community says no to hate speech) . He told Jewish Report this evening his message there was clear and consistent with his Member Statement in Parliament this morning. “There is a subtle undercurrent of xenophobia and religious and cultural intolerance in this country that threatens to gain more tide unless we start taking a stand and saying no to hate speech and hate crimes,” said Bergman. “There should be zero tolerance and 100 per cent balanced educating of our country. Our country has come from a lively past on this and one would have expected us to have learnt from this and used it as an asset rather than one of our biggest failures of this current Government”.

Bergman had attended the SAJBD’s march in his personal capacity but representing the DA in fighting the cause of minorities. There were other DA members there as well and when some of the large media contingent started speaking to him, explains Bergman, he decided to leave before an incorrect assumption was made that the DA was party to organising this SAJBD initiative.