We condemn racist remarks made by Arms Procurement Commission Spokesperson
We condemn racist remarks made by Arms Procurement Commission Spokesperson
The Right2Know Campaign and allies rebuke the blatant arrogant and racist remarks made by Mr William Baloyi, Arms Procurement Commission Spokesperson, in a statement issued after more than 30 organisations expressed grave concerns of the Commission’s conduct and made a joint call for the Commission to dissolve. (See the statement here: http://armscomm.org.za/media/20141002-ms.pdf)
It is disheartening for the commission spokesperson to label concerned citizens – members of the Right2Know Gauteng working group – as “a small group of black people” and “mere foot soldiers”. Such utterances shows the arrogance and lack of understanding of citizen activism and its role in deepening democracy.
We have written to the Commission Chairpersons, Mr Justice W Seriti & Mr Justice HMT Musi, to clarify if this statement was properly issued in the name of the Commission.
In the statement, Mr Baloyi named cde Bongani Xezwi, Gauteng organiser for the Right2Know Campaign, as one of the picketers who issued the call to the Department of Justice, accusing cde Xezwi of “complete ignorance of the Commission’s proceedings… a sad story of people simply being used”. Mr Baloyi further states, “Mr Bongani Xezwi is hereby invited to personally engage the Commission on the allegations that the Commission lacks transparency” and we accept the invite.
The Right2Know Campaign and the supporting organisations will gladly engage the Mr Baloyi on our concerns and to reiterate our stand on why we strongly feel that the commission is a “whitewash”. We would like to meet at a Community Hall in Soweto to also give community members an opportunity to ask questions on a date convenient to Mr Baloyi.
We reiterate our demands: Dissolve the Arms Procurement Commission.
Launch a full and transparent criminal investigation.
Prosecute all implicated of wrongdoing.
We will not give up the fight for Arms Deal truth and justice!
Issued by Arms Deal focus group: R2K, Corruption Watch, Section27, Awethu!
For further comment contact:
R2K Gauteng Organiser: Bongani Xezwi (Cell: 073 904 1626)
R2K Gauteng Coordinator: Dale McKinley (Cell: 072 429 4086)
R2K National Organiser: Siviwe Mdoda (Cell: 082 368 5096)
