Kaya News Reporter
DA councillor Iona Kritzinger has been accused of allegedly using racial slurs via a telephonic conversation with a senior law enforcement officer, Siyasanga Vandala.
Kritzinger has denied the allegations but George municipality is said to be investigating the incident together with the SA Human Rights Commission.
Councillor Kritzinger is accused of using the derogatory ‘K-word’ when she apparently spoke to officer Vandala to report an incident.
Officer Vandala’s account of the incident
According to officer Vandala, Kritzinger was highly upset over the phone and asked him “to remove these vagrants” from a house.
When asked who he was speaking to, Kritzinger answered “councillor Kritzinger” and continued angrily that he needed to get there to remove the vagrants.
Office Vandala then responded, “please calm down, and she said, ‘No you come and remove these vagrants, you f****n bloody k****r’. Unfortunately, I was alone in my office when she uttered those words,” he said.
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Councillor Kritzinger denies the accusations
The DA councillor has denied the accusations, calling them a flagrant lie.
“I did not curse Vandala; I did not insult Vandala; I did not demean Vandala. I reported an incident demanding his immediate professional attention. I do have an apology to make: I am the grandmother in a mixed-race family, and I apologise to my beloved grandchildren and my dearest daughter-in-law that they would possibly have to be exposed to some unthinkable allegation that their Ouma had slurred them. How inconceivable of any mind can it possibly be that I would do such an unimaginable thing. How preposterous. How abominable,” Kritzinger mainained.
Officer Vandala laid criminal charges and the matter was reported.
Vandala confirmed the allegations a said an investigation was underway, but he did not want to comment any further.
In 2018, a South African estate agent Vicky Momberg was caught on video verbally abusing a black policeman. She used the word ‘k-word repeatedly during her tirade against men who were trying to assist.
The word is deeply offensive and considered the most racist in South Africa. The state brought a case of crimen injuria against Momberg and a court sentenced her to three years in jail (one suspended). This makes her the first person in the country to be jailed for this offence.
Also read: Jail time for South African woman using racist slur sets new precedent
