BusinessLive reports that Lawyers for Human Rights and the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation have approached the ANC to lead a case of racism against Rajesh ‘Tony’ Gupta at the SA Human Rights Commission‚ either as the sole complainant or with them.  

The organisations sent a letter to the ANC a week ago appealing for secretary general Gwede Mantashe to take up the complaint against Gupta for allegedly “referring to his employees as monkeys and causing them much distress”.  They hope to get a response from the party by Friday.  Similarities between this case and that of former estate agent Penny Sparrow – whom the ANC reported to the Equality Court – prompted the groups to ask the ANC to lead the way.  Sparrow was found guilty for her racist attack comparing black beach goers to monkeys on Facebook and fined an effective R155‚000.  She was also sentenced to two years in prison‚ suspended for five years.  ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa has not responded to queries about the request.

• Read this report by Claire Keeton in full at BusinessLive
• See too, Manyi says racism case against Guptas over ‘monkey’ slur is ‘speculation’, at The Citizen

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