Perspective: Barry Bateman apologises for calling Malema a ‘p**s’ after being docked a month’s pay

EFF Leader Verbally Assaulted by White Journalist ….

Barry Bateman Suspended Without Pay …

A white senior journalist whose name is Barry Bateman has been suspended for one month without pay for calling Julius Malema the “p**s”  He has unreservedly apologized for the comment he made on air.

They have launched a cloud funding to assist the suspended senior journalist Barry Bateman.

Julius Malema is head of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) an official political party leader.  Hon. Julius Malema is a firebrand politician who is regarded as a rather controversial figure.  He is extremely articulate and has left the ruling African Nationalist Congress (ANC). to embark on his own political path.

Confiscation of Lands 

Hon. Julius Malema has advocated that lands and other property held in the hands of white supremacists should be confiscated without compensation.  This position is very controversial in South Africa even now that Apartheid has ended in that former white minority held government.

Since 1994 when there was black rule with President Nelson Mandela.  Mandela had pursued a policy of reconciliation.  There was even a Peace and Reconciliation Commission.  Malema’s hard and possibly uncompromising position has not won him many friends especially in the white community.

Verbal Attack

There is no love lost so this verbal assault by this white senior journalist is not surprising.

Conclusion

We condemn the verbal assault and acknowledged derogatory comments by white senior journalist Barry Bateman who has unreservedly apologize and has been punished with a month’s loss of salary and suspension from his job at the media house where he is employed.

This conduct by Barry Bateman is despicable, demeaning, distasteful, and disgraceful to say the least.  There is no room for such behaviour especially from a supposedly responsible media personality. We would expect Barry Bateman a senior journalist to operate at the highest level of professionalism.  We are ashamed of your verbal assault on Hon. Julius Malema an Internationally acclaimed political leader who heads the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). In South Africa.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent and photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.