- The SAHRC will investigate a disturbing voice memo from a woman who wants black people to be “banned, killed” in defense of pit bulls.
- The voice note was leaked from a WhatsApp group, called “Pitbull be my voice.”
- The commission said the woman’s identity would be verified.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has registered a complaint about a racist “pit bull rant” voice recording circulating online.
Commission spokesman Wisani Baloyi told News24 the Gauteng branch would investigate.
“The identification of the person behind the voice memo is part of the internal complaint handling mechanism, which cannot be disclosed at this time.”
In the voice note, the woman defends pit bulls amid calls to ban the breed as a household pet.
The petition, from the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation, wants the vicious breed to be banned due to a recent wave of deadly attacks.
READ | ‘These are not pets’: Man gives away his two pitbulls after news of boy’s death
Although the petition has received thousands of supporters, calls for a ban have been opposed by other organizations, pit bull owners and breeders.
TimesLIVE reported that the voice note was leaked from a WhatsApp group, called “Pitbull be my voice.”
In the voice note, the woman, identified by the publication as Belinda Migor de Benoni, calls for banning blacks.
The voice note says:
I am very passionate about this. Ban them, kill them, shoot them, get rid of them because they are the problem, not the pitbulls, not the animals. Animals are beautiful and they deserve a warm bed, food, love, attention and everything else. God created those animals. Who created the black man? Do you think God? I do not think.
He initially denied sending the voice memo, saying he was not racist, as he was “very nice and helpful, especially to black people.”
She later blamed diabetes for her outburst, telling TimesLive that her sugar was “out of control” and she couldn’t think straight.
Baloyi said: “The commission is assessing the matter in accordance with its complaint handling procedure. The commission responds to prima facie hate speech in one of two ways. [by] carry out an investigation or [through] legal proceedings.
“The commission’s evaluation process will determine the action taken.”
