White South Africans held accountable for racist remarks

The Star

28-04-2025

Belinda Magor finally apologises for calling for the uteruses of black women to be cut out.
Magor, a 60-year-old woman from Benoni, sparked national outrage in 2022 when a racist voice note she sent in a WhatsApp group went viral.
In the recording, Magor made derogatory comments about black men and women, including a suggestion to "ban the black man" and to "cut out their uteruses."
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) condemned her statements as hate speech and demanded a public apology, restitution of R150 000 to a reconciliation organisation, and a commitment to refrain from repeating such remarks.
Magor faced charges of crimen injuria, incitement to violence, and hate speech. In recent years, South Africa has witnessed a series of legal actions against white individuals for racist remarks and actions, signalling a growing commitment to holding perpetrators accountable under the country's human rights laws.​
The case involving Vicki Momberg was a landmark case. In 2018, Momberg became the first person in South Africa to be imprisoned solely for racist hate speech. Caught on camera in 2016, Momberg repeatedly used the racial slur "ka***" towards black police officers assisting her after a robbery.
The court sentenced her to three years in prison, with one year suspended, for four counts of crimen injuria. This case set a significant legal precedent, emphasising that hate speech would not be tolerated in post-apartheid South Africa. ​
Beyond these high-profile cases, several other incidents have highlighted the persistence of racism in South Africa and the legal system's response.
Penny Sparrow, a former estate agent was fined R150 000 for a Facebook post referring to black beachgoers as "monkeys," a comment deemed hate speech by the Equality Court and two white farmers were sentenced to over 10 years in prison each for forcing a black man into a coffin, beating him, and threatening to burn him alive.
The case drew widespread condemnation and highlighted the need for stringent action against racially motivated crimes. ​