EFF leader apologises for antisemitic comments

In an unprecedented victory for the community, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson, Mongezi Wellbeloved Twala, has apologised for antisemitic remarks he made outside the Durban Magistrate’s Court in June 2024. 

“For a provincial leader of the EFF to issue such an unequivocal apology sends an important and powerful message to South African Jewry and to South Africa that, irrespective of the circumstances, hate speech is dangerous and unacceptable,” said Wendy Kahn, National Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD). 

“At a time when we see Jewish people being attacked around the world, Twala’s apology is essential in understanding that words carry significance and the SAJBD takes all forms of hate and incitement seriously,” she said. 

“Let us mobilise,” Twala had urged outside the court. “We are mobilising our young battalions, our fire eaters, the fighters – they are coming and flocking to this court in numbers. You also do the same. It is going to start today when we cut the ugly throats of the Jews. We must cut the head of the snake today.” 

He made the statements outside the court in which Grayson Beare was making his first court appearance for the murder of Halima Hoosen-Preston, and the stabbing of her husband, Shaun, and son, Adam, in her home in Glenmore, Durban. Beare is the estranged son of Jewish philanthropist Julian Beare. 

Twala said he wanted his message that “Palestine will be free” to go to “all the Jewish murderers”. 

In his apology, he wrote, “Upon reflection, I recognise that the language used in those statements was inappropriate and hurtful. I sincerely regret that my words caused pain and distress to members of the Jewish community and to others who value dignity, respect, and peaceful coexistence in our country. This experience has reminded me of the deep historical pain associated with antisemitism and the importance of speaking about such matters with care and responsibility, regardless of one’s political views.” 

Kahn explained, “Twala’s inflammatory statements were made to an already agitated crowd outside the courtroom following the murder of a Muslim woman in Durban. At this very sensitive time, threatening words like these, by a senior political figure, are irresponsible and dangerous. It had the potential to ignite not only an act of violence but also to exacerbate tensions between fellow South African communities.” 

Kahn said the SAJBD had initially decided to delay instituting proceedings against Twala because of the volatile time, especially for the KwaZulu-Natal Jewish community and the hyped political tensions at the time, and the spike in antisemitism following 7 October. 

In 2025, the SAJBD proceeded with a claim of hate speech against Twala in the High Court in KwaZulu-Natal. “In our founding affidavit, we demonstrated how Twala’s antisemitic rhetoric incited hatred against Jewish people in South Africa. It was important to pursue this case,” said Kahn. 

She said that, though antisemitism rates in South Africa are low compared with other diaspora communities, the SAJBD monitors, assesses, and responds to each incident, together with experts and legal teams. 

“The hate speech legislation, together with constitutional bodies tasked with implementing these regulations, provides excellent mediums for the SAJBD to address issues of this nature. We have seen some disturbing language of incitement from certain political parties in the past years and are pleased that this politician acknowledged how problematic these statements were and apologised publicly for these comments,” she said. “We believe that a full apology by a political leader in our country is important, as it provides a message that hate speech is never acceptable and it can potentially have dangerous consequences.” 

It was initially very difficult for the SAJBD legal team to locate Twala to serve him the notice of the application. The legal team had even gone so far as to approach the legislature offices in Pietermaritzburg for assistance, but it could not facilitate service on Twala. The legal team then applied to the court with an Application for Substituted Service, which was heard in January this year, and Twala was eventually served via email, WhatsApp, and at the EFF’s Amajuba regional office. 

“In March, we were approached by Twala’s legal representatives with a settlement proposal, with a full apology in the form of a public statement, which was posted on this social media platform and provided to us in writing directly,” said Kahn. 

In addition to publishing this apology, Twala agreed to attend the Durban Holocaust & Genocide Centre on a guided visit within 90 days of the settlement. “The SAJBD is committed to finding ways to educate and sensitise wherever possible. Outcomes are far more sustainable in changing attitudes,” said Kahn. 

Alana Pugh-Jones Baranov, president of the SAJBD KwaZulu-Natal Council, said, “History shows us that words matter and that hateful and discriminatory language and rhetoric, if left unchecked, can soon turn into violent action. That is why the KwaZulu-Natal Jewish community is so heartened to learn of the full apology by the EFF leader in our province, Mongezi Twala, for his inflammatory and dangerous public comments in 2024. 

“Our political leaders have an even greater responsibility to model the values of equality, dignity and freedom for all as enshrined in our country’s Constitution and cannot be above the law. We wish to thank the Equality Court and the SAJBD national office for their work on this case, and hope that Twala’s upcoming visit to the Durban Holocaust & Genocide Centre will be a positive learning experience about the dangers of where hate speech and prejudice can lead.”