Unpaid suspension looms for anti-Semitic Cape Town councillor

28 April 2016 - 14:36 By TMG Digital

Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) member Anwar Adams was found guilty by a disciplinary committee of breaching the code of conduct for councillors with his post.It said: "To hell with worrying about not being anti-sematic (sic)‚ this evil virus must be eliminated as it cannot be reformed‚ Zionists (sic) is a virus."A report to a city council meeting said the South African Jewish Board of Deputies made a complaint to the Speaker about the 2014 post‚ and a disciplinary hearing was held over several days‚ at which Adams pleaded not guilty.The report says: "Councillor Adams testified that the term Zionist was used as a result of a spelling mistake and he does not hate Zionists‚ he hates the ideology of Zionism." It adds that Adams issued a written apology shortly after making the post.Daniel Levitt‚ executive director of the Cape council of the board of deputies‚ gave evidence at the disciplinary hearing‚ and said the perceived threat in Adams' post was especially disturbing because it came from a councillor."Mr Levitt testified that terms like 'virus' and 'eliminated' can incite hatred and violence against those who support Israel‚" says the report."(He) also testified that it is clear that the post was specifically aimed at Jewish individuals as Zionists. He testified that any person who reads this post will see this as creating a sense of hatred."The disciplinary committee recommended one month's suspension without pay‚ and Thursday's council meeting will vote whether to forward this recommendation to the MEC for local government.- TMG Digital/The Times..

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