Leaders unite to condemn controversial TikTok video targeting Indian community

COMMUNITY leaders have condemned Lubabalo Sanqela for a TikTok video questioning the loyalty of Indian South Africans.

- YOSHINI PERUMAL [e-mail]

A SCREENSHOT of the video released by Lubabalo Sanqela during the G20 summit. | Supplied

Representatives from various organisations have called his comments "dangerous and divisive," emphasising that South Africans of Indian origin are not foreigners but citizens with roots dating back 165 years who have contributed significantly to the nation's development and struggle for freedom.

Sanqela, who describes himself as a mining entrepreneur on social media, said in the video, which was released last week: "I think we need to have an open discussion about the Indian people living in South Africa, particularly the Indians living in KZN. Their leader is here. The prime minister of India, Modi, is here in South Africa to attend the G20 meeting. Indian people were naturalised and that is how they got South African citizenship and that is how they got to carry South African IDs.

"They have their own country. Should shit hit the fan, they got India to run to, not South Africa. That's why, at most, when we call them for marches to say let's go and defend South Africa, they will never show up. They never come. They don't also respect our people, our people in the call centres, in their shops, working at garages, they don't respect us. I think it's time we have a discussion about Indian people living in South Africa."

Sangela did not respond to calls.

Dr Raj Govender, commissioner for the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Rights (CRL) Commission, said Sangela's video undermined social cohesion and called upon South Africans to reject "divisive rhetoric".