Cape Town – The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched a probe after a disgruntled former member of the GOOD party labelled Patricia de Lille a "wasgoedmeit".
GOOD's Stellenbosch councillor lodged a complaint after a former party member referred to De Lille as "just a wasgoedmeit" who washed her clothes in the river.
This occurred during a rally held by the former Drakenstein councillor earlier this month where a recording was made.
“Wasgoedmeit” in Afrikaans roughly translates to a rowdy woman who airs people's dirty laundry. The word stems from the apartheid regime when some white men would call a brown woman a "meit".
"This is so not on. I am appalled by these utterances," the complainant told Weekend Argus. "Who does he think he is?" she asked.
"I filed an official complaint with the Human Rights Commission and I hope that the law will take its course," she said.
"How is it possible that in today's day and age, people are still making such utterances."
He allegedly said: "De Lille is an old wasgoedmeit who washes her laundry in the river… she is an old wasgoedmeit who wants to air our brown people's laundry in the streets… she wants to pilfer our clothes… I am saying today that it is her last day to unclothe Edgar Arendse."
"De Lille, you should understand that you are the biggest corrupt brown woman… De Lille we are coming for you, we are not scared," he said.
"You will fall like Lucifer fell out of heaven… we had enough… I don't know why she was offered a ministerial position," he said.
De Lille couldn't be reached for comment on the matter.
Chris Nissen, from the HRC, confirmed that his office had received Hendrikse’s complaint and they were probing the matter.
The member, whose membership of GOOD was terminated in December following an internal disciplinary process, told Weekend Argus that he stood by what he said.
He got his marching orders after he was accused of pilfering membership fees.
The member previously told the Weekend Argus that the allegations against him were “lies” and that nothing that GOOD had accused him of held any water.
“I’m not guilty, I did absolutely nothing wrong. I am sitting with the proof, the money was used for party posters,” he said.
He is now part of former ANC member Marius Fransman's People’s Movement for Change (PMC). The PMC is a vehicle created by Fransman to “initiate public consensus and debate around the current socio-economic climate” facing the country.
De Lille’s party is no stranger to controversy.
Last year, Weekend Argus revealed that the party’s costly campaign for the Witzenberg by-election in April 2022 was marred by booze, skinny-dipping and sex parties.
The election campaign, which cost the party R200 000, is being described as a “disaster of note” after GOOD received only 10% of the votes – a 2% drop compared to last year’s municipal elections result in that same ward.
An external investigation was launched and concluded. The report on the matter has already been handed over to the party.
In January this year, Weekend Argus also revealed that a report found there was prima facie evidence in a sexual harassment complaint lodged against Theewaterskloof’s deputy mayor John Michels.
Michels was accused of making inappropriate remarks towards a female subordinate. But Michels, a member of the GOOD party, dismissed the allegations, saying it was “malicious fabrication”.
Weekend Argus