In interviews with eNCA and 702, the Wits SRC president Mcebo Dlamini defended his facebook comments about Adolf Hitler that he made over the weekend.
SRC President Mcebo Dlamini at Wits University outside the Great Hall. Photo: Tendai Dube
The Wits SRC president Mcebo Dlamini defended his comments about admiring Adolf Hitler, on eNCA and 702 talk radio this morning.
This comes after Dlamini caused controversy this weekend after he posted a Facebook picture that compares Adolf Hitler with Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu along with the caption, “In every white person there is an element of Adolf Hitler’. Later on in the comments of the same facebook post he says, “I love Adolf Hitler”.
The South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) said that Dlamini’s statements were “racist” and “anti-Semitic, constituting hate speech according to the South African constitution.” The union added that the SRC president’s behaviour was a violation of his leadership role and a “total embarrassment and disgrace to Wits University.”
Despite this outcry from the Jewish community on campus, Dlamini said that he is shocked by the by the response from the white community, “If indeed the Israelites hate Hitler so much…why are they emulating Hitler in that they are subjecting the Palestinian children to discrimination, segregation and human indignity?” is what he told News24 in an interview today
Earlier this morning Dlamini speaking to The Redi Tlhabi Show on 702 and explained that there are good leaders who turn bad,“I admire Adolf Hilter’s style of leadership, he made a nation rally behind him.”
Tlhabi questioned whether Dlamini’s same theory and leadership outlook, extended to Apartheid.
Dlamini said, “Apartheid was well orchestrated it had good leaders to implement it… that is why it lasted so long.”
When asked about his statement by 702’s Tlhabi, that every white person has “an element of Adolf Hitler”, Dlamini defended his comment saying that Hilter put black people in a “zoo” the same way white people did.
“That’s why I’m saying there is an element of Hitler in all white people, what is the difference between George Bush… Tony Blair …Malan…Benjamin Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler?”
“They are all white and hate black people.”
Whilst talking to the eNCA, Dlamini said “A black man can’t be racist…racism is power…I don’t have power”
The SRC president explained to eNCA anchor, Joanne Joseph, that white people have blood on their hands because white people colonised, dispersed and enslaved black people.
“They are racist and are full of hate.”
The South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) said that Dlamini’s statements were “racist” and “anti-Semitic, constituting hate speech according to the South African constitution.” The union added that the SRC president’s behaviour was a violation of his leadership role and a “total embarrassment and disgrace to Wits University.”
Despite this outcry from the Jewish community on campus, Dlamini said that he is shocked by the by the response from the white community: “If indeed the Israelites hate Hitler so much…why are they emulating Hitler in that they are subjecting the Palestinian children to discrimination, segregation and human indignity?” according to News24.
Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Adam Habib, has since released a statement saying that the Facebook posts and subsequent comments are racist and offensive.
‘It violates the fundamental values of Wits University… we expect our officials to be circumspect in their utterances and to act within the values of the institution.”
