Sodwana racist unrepentant

30 June 2016 - 09:57 By MATTHEW SAVIDES

Slade, the owner of Sodwana Bay Guest House in northern KwaZulu-Natal, has enraged South Africans since his e-mail to a prospective client last week - in which he said blacks and government employees were not allowed to stay there - was published on social media.Slade's was one of several cases involving racism that have dogged the country. More than 200 cases have been investigated by the SA Human Rights Commission since the beginning of the year. Economic development MEC Sihle Zikalala, who went to the guesthouse yesterday after laying charges of hate speech, tax evasion and operating a business illegally, said Slade had been granted his lease under false pretences.As the crowd - made up mostly of ANC Youth League supporters, community members and other business owners - protested just metres from his gates, Slade repeated his view that whites were superior.Addressing some journalists and youth league leaders, Slade said he was not a racist because "God's word" said whites were the superior race - and that whites were created with a "crown" on their heads. Pointing to a spot just above his wife Katerina Krizani's forehead, Slade said: "That is a crown. The hair does a twirl. You guys don't have that. This is a crown that God gave us."Zikalala accused Slade of using religion as an excuse for racial intolerance."He must be arrested. We have started the process to have him evicted," Zikalala said.The youth league called for Slade to "pack your bags and leave Sodwana Bay with immediate effect".But Slade said he was not worried.Rivers Church pastor Andre Olivier, who caused a storm after his sermon on Sunday in which he suggested black people were lazy, has apologised. He issued an apology on Twitter yesterday saying he was sorry and he regretted the hurt and offence caused...

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