Sheep-loving protesters raise the ire of EFF
Mbuyiseni Ndlozi alleges the protesters didn't show the same outrage about the millions of animals slain in the commercial meat industry.
Animal rights activist Chloe Kingdom said she was not white and fully supportive of building a non-racial country. However, she said slaughtering a sheep as a sign of fighting racism amounted to animal brutality. Picture: Songezo Ndlendle /ANA
A group of largely white protesters appearing with placards on Friday protesting alleged animal cruelty after a sheep was slaughtered on a beach by black protesters have divided many on social media, with several EFF members leading the charge.
They have pointed out that white hunters almost always love to show off photos of themselves with their wild animal trophies, while EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said on Saturday that mutton and other meat products are constantly on sale at middle-class supermarkets – where animal rights protests seldom seem to take place.
He alleged the protesters were “white racists” who want white people to “retain the privilege to kill animals”.
If these white racists are so concerned about animal cruelty, why are they not protesting outside @WOOLWORTHS_SA @PicknPay @Shoprite_SA @NandosSA & all meat selling outlets?
Anti-black racism drove them to #CliftonBeach cause only whites must retain the privilege to kill animals pic.twitter.com/nQWD3Ka3xy
— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) December 29, 2018
This photo of hunters with dead animals was also retweeted by EFF leader Julius Malema.
Sorry, whats that about animal rights? Please just say again… #OccupyCliftonBeach #OccupyClifton pic.twitter.com/M2TgIqoN8d
— Buti lo hi chimanga (@NotoriouSmaLLz) December 28, 2018
Cape Town residents protesting against the controversial forced closure of Cape Town’s world-famous Clifton Fourth Beach yesterday slaughtered a sheep as part of a traditional ceremony on the beach.
Animal rights activists on the beach, and elsewhere in South Africa, claimed slaughtering a sheep as a sign of fighting racism amounted to animal brutality.
It is also illegal to slaughter an animal in a public place.
One protester’s placard suggested he was against racism but not in favour of sheep being killed.
The incident is the latest in the saga which unfolded after beachgoers were instructed to leave the beach by a private security company on Sunday evening.
The actions by private security company PPA sparked outrage, with many people drawing parallels between that and apartheid-era legislation and action which saw black people prohibited from frequenting beaches set aside for whites.
On Friday evening, a group of several hundred people gathered on the beach as part of a protest against the controversial move and to fight against racism and declaring their intention of claiming back the city.
The sheep was dragged on to the beach as part of the ceremony and traditional incense called impepho was burnt as part of sending a message to ancestors.
Members of the Black People’s National Crisis Committee on Clifton 4th Beach where black people were allegedly chased by PPA secirities. They slaughtered a sheep to cleanse the racism in Cape Town, 28 December 2018. Picture: Phando Jikelo /African News Agency
(ANA)
The sheep was later slaughtered but not before several animal rights activists had voiced their objections.
The group of protesters killing the sheep said they were not representing any political party but some political party T-shirts, including those belonging to the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), could be seen.
The group said the meat was going to be braaied and they planned to stay on the beach after 8pm, which was the curfew the security company said had been imposed when it had ordered people off the beach on Sunday.
A small number of animal rights activists could be seen on the beach as the traditional ceremony got under way, with a woman who said she belonged to an organisation fighting for animal rights left distraught.
Another activist, Chloe Kingdom, said she was not white and was fully supportive of building a nonracial country. However, she said slaughtering a sheep as a sign of fighting racism amounted to animal brutality.
My people are special 🤣 #ReclaimClifton pic.twitter.com/WmZNyk8UFq
— Sentletse 🇷🇺🇿🇦 (@Sentletse) December 28, 2018
Several other organisations held up placards saying they were not against people fighting for their rights but said violence towards animals should stop.
On Thursday, a statement from the Fees Must Fall Western Cape group, under the #ReclaimClifton banner, said: “We are calling on all self-respecting Blacks (Indian, Coloured and Africans) to descend at Clifton 4th Beach on Friday 28 December 2018 at 18h00 for a political protest.
“We must be clear that this is a political protest after some of our people were illegally removed by a private security company called Professional Protection Alternatives (PPA). In justifying its illegal actions, the company claimed that the patrons were not allowed to be at the beach after 20h00. This is illegal as only the City of Cape Town can enforce such by-laws, even then, such by-laws need to be fair and just taking into consideration the needs of the public at large.”
A separate group, under the famous anti-apartheid slogan #God’sbeachesforallGod’speople, were planning a picnic on the beach on Saturday evening. Among this grouping were people who were instructed to leave the beach on Sunday night.
A statement from the group said: “We are going to reclaim our city; our beaches on Saturday, December 29 at 5pm by having a sunset picnic at Fourth Beach. With our friends and families, we will wear white in defiance of attempts to keep us off God’s beaches.
“We have no intention to breaking any legitimate laws and will abide be the normal rules of public beaches will apply: no alcohol and noise disturbances. We are very committed to act within the provision of legitimate laws and call on all who attend to do the same.”
The City of Cape Town has denied any involvement in the incident and accused the PPA of overstepping its mandate by forcing the closure of the beach.
The incident has sparked a public outcry and has become a political rallying point with accusations centred on racism and exclusivity.
– Background reporting by ANA
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