Adam Catzavelos, the businessman whose racist video made on an overseas holiday has seen him widely vilified, has spoken out for the first time, in a statement that is being circulated on social media.
A statement from Adam Catzavelos sees the man who has made headlines for a racist video this week speak out for the first time. The video that landed Catzavelos in deep trouble shows him on an overseas holiday.
“I’m going to give you a weather forecast,” he says, before extolling his pleasure at spending the day amid “blue skies, beautiful day, amazing sea and not one k****r insight”
“You cannot beat this,” he continued.
The video was apparently first posted on a private WhatsApp group and was circulated by a member of the group offended by its content. The video has seen Catzavelos trending on Twitter, and it is likely that his name will become associated with racism in the same way that Penny Sparrow and Vicki Momberg are.
Sparrow called black Durban beach-goers monkeys in a Facebook rant, and Vicki Momberg used the k-word 48 times when dealing with a black policeman who was trying to help her after a smash-and-grab incident.
Momberg was sentenced to an effective two years for crimen injuria due to the incident, but she has since been granted both leave to appeal her sentence and bail.
The Catzavelos family has confirmed the statement which is circulating on social media that Adam Catzavelos has apologised for his racist video. In his apology, he says that the damage he has caused with his video is unacceptable and that he has been “thoughtless and insensitive”.
Catzavelos says he has “shown a complete lack of understanding of what the people in our nation have endured.”
This apology from #AdamCatzavelos rings hollow.
No clear admission that his speech was racist and that he is a racist. Mxm. pic.twitter.com/TUEgAJMY8p
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) August 24, 2018
But his apology was somehow not clear to admit that he said racist words, at least that’s what some people are saying:
This apology from #AdamCatzavelos rings hollow.
No clear admission that his speech was racist and that he is a racist. Mxm. pic.twitter.com/TUEgAJMY8p
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) August 24, 2018
Catzavelos has since been dismissed from the family business, St George’s Fine Foods, and the private Johannesburg school where his children are enrolled has banned the businessman from its premises.
In a statement released on Friday morning, Catzavelos admits to insulting many South Africans, by using the K-word, something he says he is ashamed of. Catzavelos says he wants to “genuinely apologise” and that he doesn’t expect people to forgive him.
He says he made a foolish and stupid comment, adding that he loves South Africa and is proud of its beauty and diversity. Catzevalos acknowledges that his racist rant makes it difficult for the country to move forward.
He closes off his statement by apologising to his family, including his wife and children. However, Catzevalos’s statement may not be strong enough for all, with some people noting that he doesn’t overtly acknowledge his comments were racist.
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
On Wednesday, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) laid a criminal complaint against the Joburg businessman at the Bramley Police Station. The EFF’s Mandisa Mashego says they’ve given the police enough evidence and information to assist them to act swiftly against Catzavelos.
“We’ve given them everything, we’ve given them evidence. We’ve given them the guy’s address and we’ve even given them his ID number. There’s nothing for them to do, they must go and arrest.” Mashego has called on South Africans to boycott businesses owned by racist people.
“His company has forced him to resign; we don’t care. They can do whatever they want to help make themselves feel better.” The EFF says it will also push for the criminalisation of racism in the country.
At the same time, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has commended the quick call to action by the South African public for the racist remarks made Catzavelos. The foundation’s Zaakirah Vadi says: “I think we should be applauding the public for taking this matter for calling out racism.
“We must ensure that racists who are still blatantly and arrogantly racist are made to pay. And I think it’s quite sad that this takes place after the Penny Sparrow incident.”
Source: EWN
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