QUOTE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO: 1992 (NW2237E)
PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 21-2011 OF 5 AUGUST 2011
Mr KS Mubu (DA) to ask the Minister of International Relations and
Cooperation:
1. Whether the Government intends to (a) recall or (b) institute
disciplinary action against Mr Jon Qwelane, South African High
Commissioner to the Republic of Uganda after he was found guilty of
hate speech against homosexuals by the Equality Court in June 2011;
if not, why not; in each case; if so, what are the relevant details
in each case?
REPLY:
1. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has not
initiated any process to recall or institute any disciplinary
action against Mr Jon Qwelane, South African High Commissioner to
the Republic of Uganda, relating to the guilty finding for hate
speech against homosexuals. The matter in question arises from an
article which Mr Jon Qwelane wrote in his capacity as a columnist
and long before his appointment as the High Commissioner of South
Africa to the Republic of Uganda. As a representative of the South
African government in a foreign country, Mr Qwelane upholds the
values and principles of the South African Constitution. South
African envoys are made aware of the provisions of the
Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights, when addressing
sensitive issues like the one quoted above.
On 1 September 2011, High Commissioner Qwelane won his bid for a
rescission of the finding against him and, as matters stand at
present, he is not guilty of any charges preferred against him by
the SA Human Rights Commission.
UNQUOTE