One would think the lowly action of throwing around the K word in post-apartheid South Africa would be left to the dregs of society – like Matthew Theunissen – but unfortunately you would be wrong.

Government officials play the game, too. Great role models, huh?

The DA are referring the use of the word by an EFF MP against one its members to the South African Human Rights Commission, as well as Parliament’s Ethics Committee.

Now, we know the EFF committed to disrupt parliament during their manifesto launch on Saturday, but is the calling of DA MP Yusuf Cassim a “Zionist sell-out kaffir” really necessary?

The altercation occurred while National Freedom Party MP Shaik Emam was speaking during the budget vote debate of the International Relations Department, and he accused the DA of oppressing the people of Palestine by supporting Israel. Deep.

EFF MP Nazier Paulsen and the DA MP then became involved in a heated exchange during which the slur was passed.

Emam defended Paulsen’s rant, saying:

The interpretation of the word is a non-believer and surely you can’t be a believer if you are oppressing your own people.

While every spokesperson of every party had their two cents to offer, using that word is still unacceptable in this country when its meaning has evolved into something so much.

[source: mg]