The commission will not take further steps against the axed Sunday Times columnist, says Lufuno Mmbadi, provincial manager in the SAHRC’s Gauteng provincial office.
Mmbadi says two of the three individuals who lodged complaints against Bullard over his last href=”https://www.thetimes.co.za/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=741855″ target=_blank mce_href=”https://www.thetimes.co.za/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=741855″Out to Lunch column in Sunday Times on colonialism, accepted href=”/themedia/view/themedia/en/page255?oid=7799&sn=Detail” target=_blank mce_href=”/themedia/view/themedia/en/page255?oid=7799&sn=Detail”the apology. One of them, nevertheless, wanted the commission to pronounce itself on whether what Bullard wrote constitutes hate speech. The complainant who did not accept the apology also wanted the commission to give clarity on this matter.
She says the commission is in the process of preparing a finding to clarify the “legal position”. Even if the commission finds what Bullard had written to be outside the bounds of constitutionally protected speech, it would not take further steps against him, owing to the apology.
Mmbadi says the commission is “at the moment” not considering taking steps against Sunday Times, because the paper has also apologised.
