Gov't employee in S. Africa suspended over racist comments

A government employee in South Africa has been suspended over racist comments, authorities said on Friday.

Gauteng Provincial Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (DSACR) said it has suspended its employee Velaphi Khumalo over his racist Facebook comments.

"We must act as Hitler did to the Jews. I don't believe any more that there is a large number of not so racist white people...I will from today unfriend (to) all white people I have as friends ..." Khumalo wrote on his Facebook account earlier this week.

Khumalo has deleted his Facebook page and apologized.

The DSACR distanced itself from Khumaloi, condemning his "barbaric and racist utterances". It said it did not condone such hateful and disturbing racial slurs which were Khumalo's personal views.

"Our key mandate is nation building and social cohesion. His sentiments take our country backwards and do not reflect what the Gauteng provincial government stands for,"said department official Faith Mazibuko.

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies has called for urgent action to be taken against Khumalo. The board would also be laying a complaint against him with the SA Human Rights Commission.

A charge of crimen injuria has already been laid against Velaphi.

This came as the country was gripped by a racial storm sparked by racist comments after Penny Sparrow, an estate agent, labelled blacks as "monkeys" who were released onto public beaches reserved for white people only in Durban during New Year holidays. Enditem