Afriforum says Momberg's sentence shows double standards on racism
AfriForum on Wednesday expressed displeasure at the jail term given to convicted racist Vicki Momberg by the Randburg Magistrate's Court.
The reality in South Africa is thus that a white person who insults a black person goes to prison‚ while a senior officer in the Defence Force who says that white people’s eyes and tongues must be stabbed out is simply asked nicely not to repeat it.
Momberg will effectively spend two years behind bars as one year of her three-year sentence was suspended on condition that she is not found guilty of committing a similar offence in the next three years.
The civil rights organisation said it considered the prison sentence imposed on Momberg as a reaffirmation of the double standards in South Africa‚ especially regarding race.
"[The] inconsistency being applied in this country regarding minorities has reached the level of absurdity. The reality in South Africa is thus that a white person who insults a black person goes to prison‚ while a senior officer in the Defence Force who says that white people’s eyes and tongues must be stabbed out is simply asked nicely not to repeat it‚" said AfriForum deputy CEO Ernst Roets.
"In addition‚ an influential political leader talking about genocide is rewarded with an invitation to join the ruling party‚" he added‚ referring to EFF leader Julius Malema.
AfriForum said it had in the last year laid charges against 113 people who publicly incited rape‚ murder‚ assault and even genocide against white people.
"Up until now‚ no significant progress has been made with these cases‚" the group said.
Momberg began serving her sentence on Wednesday after being denied bail pending an application for leave to appeal against the sentence by the court.
She went on a racist rant shortly after being a victim of a smash-and-grab in Johannesburg in 2016‚ loosely hurling the k-word 48 times at police officers and 10111 operators who had tried to assist following her ordeal. Her tirade was caught on camera and the video soon went viral.
#VickiMomberg was trending all day on Wednesday after the estate agent was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, one year of which was suspended by the Randburg Magistrate’s court.