Men Surrender After Baboon Slur
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Zinkie Sithole, news24.com (SA), Aug. 3
Polokwane—Three men have been charged with calling a petrol attendant a baboon.
One of the three men, who is aged 34, and two others, aged 23, handed themselves over to the Polokwane police on Wednesday.
“They were brought in by their legal adviser.They’re not in custody, but have been warned to appear in court on Friday,” said Polokwane police spokesperson Lesiba Ramoshaba.
Petrol attendant Isaac Sebata has accused the men of calling him a baboon last week and slapping him during an argument.
“We don’t know yet what led to the argument,” said Ramoshaba.
The three men will appear on charges of crimen injuria and common assault in the Polokwane district court on Friday.
Provincial manager of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Limpopo, Jeffrey Nkuna, said such name-calling was a human rights infringement.
“Such an act is definitely a violation of one’s dignity,” he said.
Nkuna said the commission would follow the case.
“We cannot interfere with the criminal case but we will pursue the incident,” said Nkuna.
(Posted on August 5, 2005)