Anti-semitism in South Africa....

Glad to see this sort of speech is being condemned...

A South African human rights panel last week condemned a local trade union leader for calling to exile Jewish compatriots who support Israel, in a ruling which defined his statements as "hate speech." The union had no comment on the case.

The South African Human Rights Commission said statements made publicly by Bongani Masuku, international relations spokesperson for the Congress of South African Trade Unions "implied that the Jewish and Israeli communities are to be despised, scorned and ridiculed," thus "subjecting them to ill-treatment on the basis of their religious affiliation."

The commission - a government watchdog with some constitutional powers - also determined that the comments that Masuku made on March 5 at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand are "of an extreme nature."

The probe into Masuku's conduct was initiated following a complaint by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies - the community's representative body.

"Masuku said Jewish lives would be made 'hell,' that vigilante action would be taken against Jewish families suspected of having members serving in the Israeli military and that Jews who continued to stand up for Israel should 'not just be encouraged but forced to leave South Africa'," The board's complaint read.

The commission requested Masuku apologize for his statements within 14 days, or else his case would be transferred to court. Krengel said that he hoped that an "appropriate apology from Masuku would make this unnecessary."