Agriculture minister’s chief of staff, Roman Cabanac is reportedly not backing down from his fight with his former master after he was summarily suspended just weeks after his controversial appointment.
Two weeks ago, John Steenhuisen who had allegedly approached the controversial social media influencer, asked him to consider stepping aside due to mounting public pressure after his unprocedural appointment was met with outrage from South Africans who accused him of racism.
It has been reported that Cabanac has called on the department's Human Resources to oversee and mediate his removal while according to Daily Maverick, he has been spotted at the department’s offices in spite of a request for him to step down.
The source claimed Cabanac knows the slow pace at which the government moves and estimated he may still be around for about six months.
On social media, Cabanac was reported to have tweeted: “If you want the DA to be a liberal party, it cannot be black-led,” responding to Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane’s explanation in his book on why he left the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Furthermore, he has been accused of his strong condemnation of the ANC, his support of Helen Zille's remarks about colonialism, and divisive racial utterances.
In a recent detailed statement posted on his “X” account, the controversy prone podcaster defended his racially charged utterances saying: “I acknowledge that some of my past online statements were simplistic and controversial, leading to strong reactions. I understand and accept the concerns which have been raised, especially considering my new non-partisan role. I remain committed to building a better South Africa for us all,” he said.
Last month, upon Cabanac’s appointment, the EFF said it is “not shocked, but disgusted, by the appointment of the notorious anti-Black racist and anti-Semitic Roman Cabanac.”
“This move is yet another slap in the face to the millions of Black South Africans and a clear affirmation of what the DA truly represents—a bastion for white supremacist ideologies and contempt for the very people of this nation.
“Cabanac's vile history of spreading hate and division is no secret as he has, time and again, made his disdain for Black people abundantly clear. The DA is a breeding ground for racists, and Cabanac is just the latest manifestation of this deep-seated bigotry,’ the party said.
The EFF said this appointment, following that of Renaldo Gouws, another racially divisive DA appointment was a show of ANC’s betrayal of the majority black South Africans
“By aligning themselves with these racists, the ANC has shown that they have completely abandoned their mandate to uplift the oppressed and have instead chosen to protect the interests of the very oppressors who seek to keep Black people in perpetual servitude,” it said.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za