Cape Town - Despite the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) putting its acting CEO Chantal Kisoon on precautionary suspension following the allegation that she had referred to senior managers as “black babies”, she is still under fire as experts questioned why she did not resign given the role of the chapter nine institution in fighting racism.
The commission said in a statement it would leave no stone unturned in investigating the incident and in dealing with the perpetrator should it be found, in an independent process, that she had indeed used a racial slur and violated the dignity of her colleagues.
“The SAHRC as an institution supporting constitutional democracy, wishes to assure the public that it does not condone racism or any other violation of the rights entrenched in the Constitution.
“Noting the egregious nature of the allegation against the acting CEO, Commissioners resolved to immediately initiate an investigation into the incident, to be conducted by an independent person who will report back to the commissioners with findings and recommendations.
“Such an independent person may be a retired judge or senior attorney or senior advocate.
“The process of drafting the terms of reference for appointing such an independent person has started and it is expected that the person will be appointed soon,” the SAHRC said in a statement.
The commissioners have appointed Lorinda Lynn, the acting CFO, to act as CEO.
The EFF, who were first to call out Kisoon following the incident, said she should have resigned.
“If Kisoon had an ounce of appreciation for the dire state of racism in South Africa, she would have resigned.
“The fact that she has not, indicates that she is utterly incompetent and highly unethical to be appointed in the position.
“The SAHRC is characterised by racist board appointments and bureaucracy that results in its inability to implement its constitutional mandate.
“Instead, it has clearly positioned itself to push and protect the right-wing agenda.
“We are yet to receive the report into the July Unrest Hearings, which shed light on the murder of African people en masse in 2021 through racial profiling and targeting in Phoenix, Durban.
“This SAHRC refused to investigate the torture (forced sterilisation) of African women in hospitals as reported by the AIDS Council in 2014.
“So no further investigation will exonerate the racist composition of SAHRC.
“Kisoon must resign or be removed permanently and immediately. Further, Parliament must prioritise the SAHRC complete reform of its board for it to implement its constitutional mandate,” EFF spokesperson, Leigh-Ann Mathys said.
Rhodes University senior lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Studies, Dr Mandisi Majavu added: “Given our history of racism in this country. It is a blatant violation of democratic norms and values to have people who use in their speech racist tropes, racist language, and racist phrases associated with chapter nine institutions like the Human Rights Commission.
The damage done by Ms Kisoon’s words to the image and reputation of the institution is immense. It would be good if the institution could use this incident as an opportunity to engage in a process of reckoning with racism at large in post apartheid South Africa.”
Policy analyst, Nkosikhulule Nyembezi said the commission had made the right move in suspending Kisoon.
“If the commission had failed to make that move, then it would have passed judgement on itself – and that judgement would have been damning.
“Kisoon’s failure to accept responsibility and show any contrition for the racism she acted out – she has not voluntarily resigned – means the commission’s decision must first and foremost be evaluated on principled grounds. It was the only morally correct course of action, and – like its track record of combating racism – it is to the commissioners’ credit that they have taken it.
“It also positions the commission in the right place in relation to an existential debate that has long raged within our society about what the chapter nine institutions are actually for.
The key objective has always been to support our democracy,” he said.
Cape Times