Members of advocacy groups representing people living with albinism staged a protest outside the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 11 August, demanding that a local traditional healer apologise and recant his alleged hate speech remarks which they say has made albinos a target for human trafficking and murder.
It’s alleged that Dr Bhongolethu Mzozo, better known as Khehlelezi, posted a video on YouTube, on 27 April, where he made remarks that “people with albinism possess distinctive powers that bring wealth and luck”. Angered by this statement, two groups, the National Albinism Task Force and Thembisile Madlala Albinism Foundation, took the matter to the Equality Court calling for Dr Mzozo to be arrested for his statement.
On Friday, the advocacy groups protested outside the Verulam Magistrate’s Court where Dr Mzozo was due to appear. Armed with placards and banners, carrying strong messages against hate speech and discrimination, they called on justice to prevail and for the protection of people living with albinism.
The national secretary for National Albinism Task Force, Nontsikelelo Loteni said: “We are here at the Verulam Magistrate’s Court because we became aware of a video that was published and circulated by Khehlelezi talking about albinism. The content of the video is what brought us to court because it contains hate speech and elements of discrimination against persons with albinism. It incites violence against persons with albinism in our community. We took the video to the Equality Court. The country has just approved the Hate Speech Bill, and we want to see that Bill working for us in this case against Khehlelezi.”
The National Assembly passed the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Speech Bill on 14 March. Loteni said albinism organisations around the country are fuming and demand that Khehlelezi apologise for his remarks made against people with albinism.
“In his video, he referred to people with albinism as ancestors and said whoever has a person with albinism in their home must know that the person can bring wealth and luck. The painful part in this statement is the one where he said ‘if men have sex with a person with albinism they will receive the blessings’. This statement alone will destroy a mutual relationship between the community and people with albinism,” said Loteni.
She said such statements have negative connotations that create animosity in communities with people living with albinism. Her sentiments were shared by Thembi Madlala from the Thembisile Madlala Albinism Foundation who said the organisation is concerned about the alarming number of people with albinism who still go missing without a trace.
She claimed that after a video was posted on 27 April, her organisation has been inundated with calls from concerned families reporting their relatives who went missing, following Khehlelezi’s statement. She said people with albinism face multiple forms of discrimination.
“Khehlelezi’s remarks have exacerbated the situation because people seem to think that we possess distinctive powers to bring luck and success to their lives,” said Madlala.
The marchers who came from regions in the far north of the province including, KwaMhlabuyalingana, Jozini and Mkhanyakude, were however left disappointed as lawyers representing Mzozo handed a medical certificate to the court to prove that he could not attend the proceeding due to his health condition.
“We are disappointed that the man who made a controversial statement against us did not come to court but our fight will not end here,” said Madlala
The court has given both parties an out-of-court settlement agreement on the matter which is scheduled to take place on 28 August. The court advised both parties that should an amicable solution not be reached, the matter will be back in court on 31 August.
