Update
GEORGE NEWS - An accident in which a man lost his life last Friday, led to a complaint of racism with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
An unidentified man died after he was hit by an Isuzu double cab bakkie on the N2 highway between Thembalethu and Parkdene last Friday, 10 November.
According to the driver of the vehicle, the pedestrian appeared out of nowhere and ran in front of the bakkie.
This happened within the fenced section of the N2.
No other cars were involved and no one else was injured.
News of the accident quickly reached several social media platforms, including local Facebook page, Georgiete Staan Saam.
Among many comments of condolences, questions and statements about the "money being wasted by the municipality on fences along the N2" and "people damaging and climbing over the fences" the discussion quickly escalated into a heated debate leading to comments of a provocative nature.
One such comment was that of Anne-Marie Park-Robinson, whose two words "Pure BOBBEJANE" lead to her being reported to the SAHRC by a fellow George resident, Valesca Erlank.
The post was subsequently removed by the page administrator, Herman Pienaar. Park-Robinson and four other people were removed from Georgiete Staan Saam because of racist comments.
"We banned five people from the page. All from different racial backgrounds. We do not tolerate any racial posts or comments on our page.
"Even posts or comments that can lead to racist conversation are removed. I was shocked and disgusted at some of the comments people made earlier on this group.
"A few were removed and banned from this group," Pienaar told the George Herald this week.
When the George Herald contacted Park-Robinson for comment she confirmed that the post was hers, but said that there was no racial connotation to it and that people of all races climb over those fences.
She then continued to threaten the newspaper with legal action should her name be mentioned in this article.
Emergency personnel at the body of the man who was killed in the accident on the N2. Photos: Zolani Sinxo.
She also stated that she will be laying charges against Erlank and a local radio station where Erlank spoke about Park-Robinson's post leading to her complaint to the SAHRC.
"I did not have any racial intention with my post. Many people of all races climb over those fences. I never mentioned colour," Park-Robinson told the George Herald.
In an interview, Erlank said she decided to lay the complaint with the SAHRC because she feels strongly about racism and racial discrimination in our country.
"We can no longer stand around and tolerate the ignorance of people like Penny Sparrow and Anne-Marie Park-Robinson.
'Even if it means a white person should call out a white person. Enough!
"Anne-Marie Park-Robinson chose her words, she chose to reveal the racism that she, and so many white South Africans carry, and she chose her outburst publicly.
"She chose the word 'baboons' referring to who exactly?" said Erlank.
Read a previous article: Man dies on N2
ARTICLE: KRISTY KOLBERG, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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