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A SOUTH AFRICAN man who used a racial slur in a holiday video he posted online faced a backlash from across the political spectrum on Wednesday.
The man, identified on social media as Adam Catzavelos, filmed himself wearing a straw hat and mirrored sunglasses on a pristine beach in an undisclosed seaside location.
“Amazing sea and not one k****r in sight”, he said to the camera, using an insulting term for a black African.
A government minister called for the video to be reported to police.
“The racist video which shows a man allegedly identified as Adam Catzavelos using the ‘K-word’ is absolutely unacceptable,” tweeted Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
“We must all work together to isolate racists and report these incidences to law enforcement.”
The Eyewitness News site reported that the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party was preparing to report Catzavelos to police.
Sports brand Nike reportedly closed some of its stores in South Africa as a precaution after it was claimed on social media that Catzavelos’ wife worked as a brand director at the retailer.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance party said in a statement that “those who espouse his views have no place in a united South Africa”.
“The likes of Catzavelos undermine the project of nation-building and reconciliation,” added Luyolo Mphithi, the party’s youth leader.
Local media reported that Catzavelos had been fired from his job at Johannesburg-based St George Fine Foods following the racism firestorm.
Nedbank, one of South Africa’s largest banks, distanced itself from Catzavelos after it emerged that he had participated in a business development programmes sponsored by the bank in 2014.
“Nedbank… strongly condemn all forms of racism,” said the bank in a statement.
In 2016, South African estate agent Penny Sparrow likened black beach-goers to monkeys in a social media outburst and was fined 150,000 rand (€9,050).
South Africa remains deeply divided along racial lines 24 years after Nelson Mandela came to power vowing national reconciliation following the end of white-minority apartheid rule.
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Pity they’re not blocked in the Republic as well
@Brian Pocock: Ha ha very good, and the Nordies don’t know how lucky they are.
Does Brendan Smith not
understand how exclusive television rights work
I was thinking that why worry about people that don’t pay the licence but there’s a lot down here the same
Won’t bother some of us coz we have no interest in the Olympics news and will be avoiding the local pub coz of same
@liam ward: You mean you’ve no interest in which country has the best performance enhancing drugs?
@liam ward: we know. You told us yesterday in the poll. I normally just don’t interact with things I’m not interested in!!
I thought there was 32 counties in The Republic of Ireland?
@Ray Dunne: 32 counties on The Republic of Island of Ireland? OK, gotcha!
@Ray Dunne: there are 32 counties in Ireland. The term “island of Ireland” makes no geographical sense as Ireland comprises a number of islands
Pardon my ignorance, but perhaps someone can tell me what exactly is Geo Blocking?
How does it work?
And if someone has an aerial, then…
…well, how does it work?
And who does this GeoBlocking?
The broadcaster (e.g. RTE)?
Or the authorities in GeoBlocked affected areas?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: just stick a hanger ( metal one) in the back of the telly ye be grand. Even repeats glenroe…
@Paul Gorry: So, it’s a sort of time machine then?
Does that mean similar programmes of BBC in Northern Ireland are blocked in the Republic?
HA haha haha ha! I’m sure they were missed…NOT!!!
One nation is coming and the little bellies and ffg can cry in thier cornflakes
have your say