SA mourns death of veteran journalist Jon Qwelane

Former South African ambassador to Uganda Jon Qwelane has died in hospital on Thursday, at the age of 68, The Citizen reports.

Born on 10 September 1952, Qwelane was a talkshow host for 702 for a decade, according to South African Journalists’ Wiki.

He was also the founding member of the Writers’ Association of South Africa.

👇🏿From Bra Oupa Ngwenya
👇🏿
Another sad news received from Sithembele Khala: “I am a bearer of bad news this morning. Jon Qwelane is no more, he died in hospital this morning… MHSRIP

— Themba Ximba🇿🇦 (@ThembaXimba) December 24, 2020

The veteran journalist’s death comes amid an ongoing legal battle for his controversial 2008 column, Call me names but gay is not okay.

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) last November overturned a High Court judgment which had previously found Qwelane guilty of hate speech and threw out a challenge he launched to section 10 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA), under which Qwelane was originally charged.

The appellate court found the section in question was vague, giving Parliament 18 months to remedy the defects and ordering that in the interim PEPUDA read:

“No person may advocate hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation that constitutes incitement to cause harm.”

The SCA’s judgment is now before the Constitutional Court for confirmation.

Tributes have already started to pour in on social media for the veteran journalist.

Indeed the pen is mightier than the sword. John Qwelane is no more. Loved your column when I was an aspirant reporter. Rest in eternal peace the controversial JQ. You blood was dripping ink. #RIPJQ. pic.twitter.com/pylOdVgepR

— Themba Sepotokele (@themba_s16) December 24, 2020