Lucas Hartong, a member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands, has asked the European Parliament to cancel South African Airways’ landing rights in Europe over its anti-white hiring laws.

Speaking to 2oceansvibe Media this morning, Mr Hartong confirmed that he had made the submission and that he felt that the practice was backward.

Even though SAA this week confirmed that they had rectified the glitch on their website that had prevented cadet applications from white males, the airline’s stance is that they are actively implementing “requirements to meet statutory transformation targets. [Meaning] that in recruiting, the airline has to ensure that the demographics of its employees match closely those of the country as a whole. This is in line with the employment equity definition which includes white females.”

White male applications will only be considered where there are no other possible candidates from other demographic backgrounds.

More than 18 years after Apartheid, discriminatory policies are still a legacy that South Africa lives with on a day-to-day basis, and this was the reason for Hartong’s submission.

Hartong is a member of the Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) in the Netherlands, and the party is considered to be somewhat right-wing in its political stance, however, Hartong raised some important points in his questions addressed to Vice-President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton.

Loosely translated, this is what Hartong had to say:

Written question to Commission and High Commissioner (rule 117)

South African Airlines (SAA) discriminates against whites in an interview for the position of pilot. 1) 2). The PVV is deeply concerned about this discrimination. MEP Lucas Hartong: “Discrimination on the basis of colour or descent was so very wrong. Europe rightly fought against apartheid, but must now at least as firmly oppose this new form of apartheid!”

South Africa receives many tens of millions of euros of EU development aid.

The PVV parliamentary questions the following:

1. Do you think this policy or measure of SAA is in accordance with the European fight against (racial) discrimination?

1. Does SAA in any way receive grants from EU institutions, eg indirectly through the annual financial development assistance that South Africa receives from the EU budget?

1. Is it possible to cancel SAA’s landing rights in Europe until SAA has aligned its policy with internationally accepted protocols on (racial) discrimination policy?

1. Is Ms Ashton prepared to immediately question SAA and its management to account for this flagrant violation of the right to equal treatment?

Here’s an extract from his original submission:

Maybe one day we’ll all just be able to get along.

Thanks JC!