By Tamlyn Canham
Scores of people have come out to support Jesse Griesel after she received backlash for running as an EFF candidate for UCT’s Student Representative Council elections.
Griesel is running for the 2021/2022 term. Voting kicked off at the Cape Town university on Monday.
She was labelled a “race traitor” when she announced her candidacy in September.
besties I’m doing a thing! I have decided to run as an SRC candidate for the 2021/2022 term. I can’t begin to describe my excitement at the idea of serving the students at uct ❤️ I’d be ever so grateful for your sharing and interacting with my post 🤞🏽📍 eeek ok bye pic.twitter.com/HCpECfoEfB
— jes / SRC Candidate #5 ☀️ (@JesseGriesel) September 28, 2021
“Just imagine if your ancestors had adopted EFF principles – you would not have a uni to go to,” one Twitter user told her.
DA councillor Renaldo Gouws also joined in. He says Griesel joining the EFF is “akin to a Jew joining the Nazi Party”.
“When you want to stand out and be seen and do it for reasons that will make you famous INSTEAD of doing it on principles and your value. This is akin to a Jew joining the Nazi Party. The difference is she will gladly sing “Kill the Boer” and not get what it means,” he tweeted.
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When you want to stand out and be seen and do it for reasons that will make you famous INSTEAD of doing it on principles and your value. This is akin to a Jew joining the Nazi Party. The difference is she will gladly sing "Kill the Boer" and not get what it means. https://t.co/nLkmQqhk5V
— Bronaldo Gouws 🇿🇦 (@RenaldoGouws) September 30, 2021
Some Twitter users clapped back. One woman says it is surprising that Gouws would make such remarks considering he is a member of a party that claims it doesn’t “see colour”.
For a party representative of a party that doesn't "see colour", someone seems to have a problem with young people of a certain colour's political choices. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/VR5UK5vAGK
— Bianca van Wyk (@BiancavanWyk16) October 4, 2021
Phumzille van Damme claps back
Former DA MP, Phumzile van Damme, also came to Griesel’s defence.
“You’ve been attacking this young woman for days. What’s it to you what political party she joins? And in such a venomous way. It’s the same language used against black DA supporters. There’s something very wrong with you man. Does she feel like a race traitor to you? Heal,” she replied.
You've been attacking this young woman for days. What’s it to you what political party she joins? And in such a venomous way. It’s the same language used against black DA supporters. There’s something very wrong with you man. Does she feel like a race traitor to you? Heal. https://t.co/k4BYfTkjUo
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) October 2, 2021
Griesel is not the only person in Gouws’ firing line. He also took a swipe at Christiaan Carstens – an ANC candidate for the local government elections – and EFF supporter Jack Markovitz.
Van Damme says Markovitz has received death threats for supporting the EFF.
“One day I will tell you the story about the young man in the tweet below. The white EFF supporter. There were death threats. He was being chased down the street. The Jewish community in Cape Town was worried. Why did he support the EFF then said your DA leaders. Shook.”
One day I will tell you the story about the young man in the tweet below. The white EFF supporter. There were death threats. He was being chased down the street. The Jewish community in Cape Town was worried. Why did he support the EFF then said your DA leaders. Shook. https://t.co/9TQpE2RZXZ
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) October 4, 2021
One white Twitter user says being pro-black is dangerous.
“As a white (Afrikaans) South African, it can be dangerous being gay, being trans, being queer, being feminine, being butch, being disabled, being atheist, but there are very few things that’s as dangerous as being pro-black and pro-working class,” he wrote in reply to van Damme.
As a white (Afrikaans) South African, it can be dangerous being gay, being trans, being queer, being feminine, being butch, being disabled, being atheist, but there are very few things that's as dangerous as being pro-black and pro-working class. https://t.co/v92vghIuyF
— CUMmunist ☭🇿🇦🇵🇸 (@TheLDPage) October 4, 2021
Van Damme and Gouws then engaged in a heated argument that ended with the former calling the latter a “gross a** man”.
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You were the one bringing up black DA individuals in your initial tweet. Also, considering you want to trade insults here is one for you. If you jump from your ego to your IQ you would seriously injure yourself. https://t.co/JYEcXASq5L
— Bronaldo Gouws 🇿🇦 (@RenaldoGouws) October 3, 2021
Main image credit: Twitter/@jessegriesel
