Jon Qwelane takes homophobic fight to Concourt

Dennis TFebruary 12, 2020

48 1 minute read

Veteran journalist and South Africa’s former high commissioner to Uganda Jon Qwelane is taking his fight against the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) over his homophobic column to the Constitutional Court.

Qwelane has been waging a decade-long legal battle with the commission over a column he wrote for the Sunday Sun in 2008 headlined “Call me names – but gay is NOT okay” that was found to be hate speech.

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has given Qwelane until February 24 to file his written arguments. The commission and Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola – who is also cited as a respondent after the former 702 presenter launched his constitutional challenge to the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act – have a week later to respond. In November, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) altered an earlier South Gauteng High Court ruling that found Qwelane guilty of hate speech.

The SCA dismissed the SAHRC’s complaint and declared section 10 of the Act inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution and therefore unconstitutional and invalid.

The SCA ruling was referred to the Constitutional Court for confirmation of the order of constitutional invalidity. The country’s second highest court gave Parliament 18 month to remedy the defect in the Act. It ordered that section 10 of the Act, under which Qwelane was charged, must state that no person may advocate hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

In other news – Itumeleng Khune sends a strong warning to social media with first picture of his baby

The proud father seems to be mastering his daddy duties already. Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and his wife Sphelele Makhunga have welcomed their first child together.