For Nic Catzavelos, stepping into the studio with political commentator Eusebius McKaiser must have felt a little like stepping into the lion’s den.

McKaiser never shies away from calling out racism and asking the hard questions on his Radio 702 show, so Adam’s older brother would have known that he was in for a grilling.

Nic has become the de facto spokesperson for the family, and yesterday we covered how the backlash to his brother’s video has caused massive grief, and led to death threats, for the family.

The press tour continued with his 702 interview, which comes in at a cool 56 minutes. Rather than sit through that, here’s Times LIVE with some of the standout moments:

THE VIDEO

He (Adam) was in a total panic. I said ‘send the video to me.’ I hadn’t seen it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I knew this was going to blow-up.

I was horrified. I was totally shocked. It’s disturbing to say the least. It’s not a word I hear often anymore.

He (Adam) doesn’t sit around and discuss race. He doesn’t come from a family of racists.

ADAM

Adam is still overseas

My brother is seven years younger than me. I wasn’t here for his teenage years. I don’t share common friendships with him.

The video was sent to a WhatsApp group with four guys. I only know the one guy.

We (the family) didn’t sit around using this language.

Adam needs to look deeply within himself. The damage that has been done is undeniable. You can’t be half racist.

It also emerged that Adam has used the k-word in front of his brother before:

He (Adam) went on a hike four months ago with two mates. They were attacked on the top of the mountain. Boulders the size of my head were thrown at them while they were sleeping. He said ‘I’ve had enough of this country’ and used the word (the k-word).

I guess I was complicit in a sense. I said he needs to calm down and suggested he go for counselling. I can’t remember (if he called him out on using the k-word after the hiking attack). I probably didn’t.

You can’t put a standard on every situation. I am a flawed human being. Sometimes you don’t want to have the conversation. With that kind of anger or rage, you can’t have a rationale conversation with somebody.

THE FUTURE

Our history is bubbling all the time. There’s no level of honesty. These things happen all the bloody time.

My wish is that white people take a good look at your privilege. Take responsibility for the past and present. Conversations need to start and be honest. In our own family and our own life… inside all of us is a past and we can’t hide it.

If you watch the full interview, which you can see below, it’s not hard to feel sorry for Nic. His brother did a reprehensible thing, and now those around him are being picked apart bit by bit.

The full interview below:

Adam is clearly in no rush to return home, and he knows that once he does, he faces a number of charges.

So, is he going to join convicted racist Vicki Momberg in the tronk? Bizcommunity spoke to some legal experts for their take:

Advocate Zola Majavu said it would be a long stretch to prosecute Catzavelos. “The offence was committed in a foreign country so you can’t prosecute him in SA unless what he did is also an offence where he recorded the video; then you can have him extradited. The rule is, you are prosecuted where you commit the offence.”

Advocate Mark Oppenheimer agreed that prosecuting Catzavelos for crimen injuria would be challenging. He reportedly told Times Select: “Crimen injuria is the unlawful, intentional and serious impairment of a person’s dignity. Should the NPA decide to prosecute Catzavelos for his statement, there will be two hurdles to overcome: First, it must be proven that he intended to impair someone’s dignity. This may be difficult because his words were aimed at his friends in a private message, not at someone he was intending to demean. Secondly, his words are offensive to all South Africans, particularly black South Africans, but unlike the case of Vicki Momberg, they are not aimed at a particular individual (as is required).”

Verlie Oosthuizen, social media lawyer at law firm Shepstone and Wylie, said she could not see how Catzavelos would be criminally charged, although she understood the video was very offensive. Crimen injuria needs to be directed at someone. His comments were not directed at anyone in particular, said Oosthuizen.

He might not be locked up, then, but I reckon returning home would more than likely result in some kind of retribution from members of the general public.

[sources:timeslive&bizcommunity]