(Cosatu is part of The ANC government in South Africa)
The idea of trying to look directly into the head, heart and soul of a Jew is nothing new. In this regard, Cosatu's International Relations Officer, Bongani Masuku should not for one moment imagine that he is being original. Nothing could be further from the truth. Throughout history there have been many Inquisitors. Some of them were legends in their own life-time and Masuku would do well to read precisely what they got up to.
In October 1483, for example, Torquemada, Inquisitor General of Castile, was also appointed Inquisitor General of Aragon, putting the entire Spanish Inquisition under a single authority. In March 1492, a plan for the expulsion of The Jews was drawn up by Torquemada and by August 1492 all of Spain's Jews were forced to depart.
Of course, it is unlikely that Bongani knows much about Jewish history. So one shouldn't blame him for not realizing that other Inquisitors also zealously tried to sort out The Jews. After all, we are a troublesome people.
Take a look at the following quotations from Bongani Masuku and ask yourself whether he will go down in history.
Speaking on Wits campus , Masuku used the expression “make their lives hell” on four occasions when referring to what COSATU intended to do regarding those who supported Israel. This included a specific reference to students on Wits campus (COSATU has got members here even on this campus; we can make sure that for that side it will be hell”) [Source: Address at public meeting on Wits University Campus, 5 March 2009]
“The following things are going to apply: any South African family, I want to repeat so that it is clear for anyone, any South African family who sends its son or daughter to be part of the Israeli Defence Force must not blame us when something happens to them with immediate effect” [Source: Address at public meeting on Wits University Campus, 5 March 2009]
"You can leave this country. We will defeat the racists" "I don't care whether it is antisemitic" "Anyone who handles goods to or from Israel...Beware!" "Your life will be hell".[Source: Address at public meeting on Wits University Campus, 5 March 2009]
“…all who have not accepted or woken up to the reality that we now live in a democratic South Africa where racism or promotion of it is a crime, are free to leave the country. I repeat, whether Jew or whosoever does so, must not just be encouraged but forced to leave, for such a crime is so heinous it cant be tolerated”. [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]
“…all who deny that occupation is wrong must be encouraged to leave South Africa before they infect our society with much more racism”. [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to multiple recipients, 13 February 2009]
“Whenever we speak about their evil acts, we must be called anti-semitic, but they have the god-ordained right to murder, rape and kill innocent children in Palestine. … [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]
"I am aware that so many Jews are on the side of justice and only those Jews are people I hold in high esteem, but not those who silently support the massacres, but expect us to regard them as human beings.' [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to multiple recipients, 25 February 2009]
"The issue is that Israeli must GET OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE’S LANDS. There would be no need for rockets if there was no occupation, full stop. I am not interested in the hell about rockets, as if there should be pity, you are the agressors, get out of other people’s lands, you greedy lots! We waged an armed struggle against the Afrikaner murderers here and they are in their rights to wage their own struggle until you vacate their land." [Source: e-mail from Masuku sent to Anthony Posner, 13 February 2009]
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