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Journalism of Courage
South Africa’s Indian-origin Test batsman Hashim Amla has come in for yet another racist attack after the Dean Jones’ “terrorist” incident.
An electronic goods manufacturing company in Johannesburg has raised the ire of Indian South Africans and Cricket South Africa after it displayed an advertisement considered to be derogatory. The company, Copy Type Electronics, which distributes Toshiba, displayed a racist advertisement on a huge board on the N1 highway at Johannesburg. It read “Thank goodness Amla didn’t face a cooliekreeper.” The word “coolie” was used by whites and other racist elements to describe the Indian community. But the word is now banned along with other racist terms.
Following complaints by the public, the company apologised to Amla and the general public. The company said an employee had illegally put the message on the advertising board. “We apologise for any offence it could have caused. It is not our policy or intention to harm any ethnic group, faith or individual,” said Graham Lane, a spokesperson for the company.
A spokesperson for South African cricket, Steve Elworthy, said the advertisement ‘was in bad taste’. “We will watch what action is being taken as we regard it in a very serious light,” he said.
Meanwhile, local media here reported that members of the South African cricket team at Colombo have strongly denied that they jokingly referred to Amla as a “terrorist”. Vincent Barnes, the assistant trainer of the Proteas, said such suggestions were rubbish and baseless.
–M Subramoney
