STEVE HOFMEYR WRITES TO GAY, WHITE EFF MEMBER
Jaco Oelofse
A recent article on a gay, white and Afrikaans student member of the EFF has inspired controversial Afrikaans singer and actor Steve Hofmeyr to respond with a homophobic and racist diatribe.
In SAPA’s September 5 article on Jaco Oelofse, headlined by IOL News with “He’s gay, white and from the EFF,” the 23-year-old philosophy and political science student advocated for the nationalising of land in South Africa.
Oelofse, who is the secretary of the Tuks (University of Pretoria) EFF “student command team,” said that he supports Julius Malema’s party because “I associate with a radical party that has the interest of the downtrodden, poor and voiceless at heart.”
He went on to say: “As a gay person I also believe the EFF is the right party, they have by far the most progressive policy on gender and sexuality. The EFF fights for the equal treatment of all, we can’t exclude any groups who occupy the margins of society.”
In an open letter to the young man, published by Maroelamedia, Hofmeyr responded that he too loves philosophy, is not homophobic and makes sure that he knows his history.
“As a young philosophy student (and drama student) we were all radical,” writes Hofmeyr. “It’s a phase. Not a bad phase. It’s a caring phase,” he said, adding that Marxism “is a beautiful theory with no basis in reality” that many “outgrow after leaving campus.”
He also warned that, “Reparations are acceptable, but unless it happens over generations, it is unethical; the wrong people are rewarded and the wrong individuals are punished.”
Steve Hofmeyr
Hofmeyr then went on to undermine any of his arguments by repeating offensive stereotypes and generalisations. He addressed Oelofse’s sexuality, telling him that that because he’s gay, children are a lesser priority and thus so too is his view on the future beyond his own.
Despite ongoing discrimination and the wave of hate crime attacks against LGBT people (and ignoring the country’s appalling epidemic of gender-based violence), he claimed that “gays (and women) are no longer social outsiders…”
He called Oelofse a “trainee gay” and stated that the “moffies” in his “friendship circle have long stopped using their sexuality to achieve or be recognised.”
Hofmeyr, outrageously, said that black people blame others for their circumstances because they don’t have “the habit of reading”; something, he wrote “that white people have been doing for millions of years.”
In recent years, Hofmeyr has styled himself as a defender of white Afrikaners, whom he believes are being oppressed in post-apartheid democratic South Africa. Critics call him racist and accuse him of instigating racial tension.
Since its formation, the EFF has taken a progressive approach towards LGBT rights, issuing statements condemning recent anti-gay legislation in Africa. In April, a Sunday Times survey found that, compared to all other South African political parties, the EFF had the highest rate of members in favour of same-sex marriage.
There are claims, however, that it has links to a new Namibian political party, the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), which is vocally homophobic.
- Facebook Messenger
- Total244
Agreed Steve. Why must he use his sexuality to make statements? Attention seeker.
DA and ANC both do not have issues with gays.
Have you seen the EFF in Parliament? What a joke.
We will stand and defend our comrade fighter Jaco Oelofse!! Forward we go and backward never. ASIJIKI!!!
I find Steve’s offensive as far as Jaco’s sexuality is concerned. As a gay man with children I find Steve’s statement, that because Jaco is gay, children are a lessor priority extremely offensive. Think of what you are saying Steve before you make such statements. Firstly think of your own past and secondly how do you know that one day Jaco wont be adopting and looking after children that have be procreated by heterosexuals. I do agree that we are all entitled to our own opinions and I will never understand the mind of the EFF and neither am I interested however to make a generalised statement like that can be read as all gay people find having children a lessor priority and that is so far from the truth. Just think about it……
Uhm I surely hope that Mambaonline are not openly throwing their endorsement for the EFF as an LGBT rights party. I have seen much more progressive actions from the DA for Gay rights (physical action such as protests for Gay rights – ask former DA youth leader Mbali Thuli) which the young and inexperienced EFF have not done at all. It will be a faaar greater recipe for “hatred” to brew against LGBT people by associating gays with a even more so controversial party called the EFF. We will be slandered for supporting a party believing in violence as a solution. The EFF have openly vouched to topple our current government and for them to execute even half of their mandate they will have to dismantle the constitution in its current form (including 75% vote to change chapter 1 containing parts of our right to property needed for their “take land from whites policy” ) which by all logic will destabilise the country and give us another couple of decades of no future. People and gay people fought with blood for the constitution of 1996 and I sense a little endorsement from mambaonline for this? I think the EFF is a far bigger threat than some Afrikaans singer’s political opinion. Did you even pick up on that? Associate gays with the EFF (which Mr Oelofse is doing – and nothing said about that) and more gays might be rejected by society now for their ridiculous political views too. Very disappointed here!
Freedom of political association is enshrined as a basic human right.
Also does anyone take anything that Steve Hofmeyr says seriously?
But just to rebut his argument, in fact increasing the human population will lead to our planet’s demise.
The fact that Steve Hofmeyr is not heading the third biggest political party in the country and is not take as seriously as Julius Malema is by many people is enough for us to pick which of them is more likely to do the damage. Quite frankly most of what Malema says is patently ridiculous as well.
I agree with you Frans. Malema is openly racist to white people. He openly lies and is deceitful To follow him will be major FOLLY. He is described by some of the EFF members as a dictator. Malema also support Robert Mugabe… All dictators at some point will support groups of people who they actually do not feel that they want to support, just to gain support for the party. Once in power they turn around and revoke support for all such fringe groups. John just remember that with for filling some conditions, the constitution can be changed it is not written in stone. It would be wise not to trust the wolf. I agree, Jaco should not use his sexual preference to try and obtain support. Gays in general in South Africa should also stop behaving in that way of always using they’re sexual preference, yes you are gay, get over it. Your sexuality has nothing to do with whom you support it should be about the policy’s that a party propose.
Julius Malema’s EFF just says it’s opposed to homophobia – that’s written in one of EFF’s cardinal pillars. That’s as far as EFF goes concerning LGBTIs, they’ve taken no actions to condemn homophobia whatsoever, plus their Namibia branch is blatantly homophobic. Just remember we’re talking about Juju here, one day he says one thing the next day he contradicts himself. It seems like just yesterday he was ready to kill for Zuma, now he wishes for Zuma to suffer. Don’t forget when he said that being intersexed is not part of ‘his’ Pedi culture, – effectively stating that LGBTIs are an imperialist concept – that just shows how ignorant Juju is about LGBTI. The DA is even worse, DA act like they’re the liberators of LGBTIs, when they’ve done nothing but only contributed to the misconception that LGBTI are “unafrican”. ANC is the only party for LGBTIs, they ushered in the constitution that was the first in the world which protected us, they pushed for the civil union bill that legally recognised our love, they’ve condemned homophobic hate crimes on numerous occasions and they’ve taken many initiatives to educate the public about LGBTIs. Viva ANC Viva, Viva LGBTI Viva!
I agree 100% with Frans Zeelie and Sanam – and I seriously pity Jaco Oelofse who is clearly in for a very rude awakening. I am astonished that he even believes one word uttered by Malema – who is renowned for his sudden and instant turnarounds. Never in this country’s political history was there a bigger opportunist, antagonist and populist harlequin than Malema. The EFF will no doubt reduce this country to far less than Zim in less than half the time it took Mugabe to do so.
Steve’s comments should be seen in context as no deliberate pun or degradation was intended. He has always been a public supporter and advocate of LGBT rights and in fact has a gay person managing his household and personal affairs. This saga can be simplified with one question : “Would you prefer to serve under Malema or Hofmeyr as president of this country?”
My choice is clearly Hofmeyr as I have no demented urge to live in constant fear or to impoverish overnight.
Viva Steve! Steve as President! Viva Steve!
We have become the handbag gays.
When I was still closeted , my music teacher was the only one I entrusted with the knowledge of my sexuality. She used to tell me to never become a handbag , meaning don’t let others use me or my position/disposition in life to their own accord. Isn’t this what is happening here? Is this really because Steve and Jaco are your typical ‘Gay vs. Straight’ dilemma or is this simply -like all things else in South Africa- a ‘White vs. Black’ situation?
I , myself, am impartial to both Steve and Jaco’s cases , since I believe both have equally valid points , but the delivery of the message is all wrong and that’s what is sparking so much aggression.
Jaco has the freedom of association and is therefore free to be a white EFF member… (whoopty doo, don’t quite know why that should even be considered newsworthy since you would expect such from a country that has been enjoying ‘Democracy’ for the last 20 years?)
Equally valid, is Steve’s point of Jaco’s description being lengthened to include the additional ‘gay’ adjective. I know of quite a few parties that state they are pro-gay, but they don’t hammer upon it?
Why? Because having one gay guy in your party makes you just as pro-gay as a church who has one gay guy in it.
I personally feel the real crime here is the fact that political parties think that being gay dehumanizes us to the point where we can be seen as leverage.
Should political parties have the mentality of: “oh , look! How convenient , we have a gay man to use for a poster boy.We shall use this to our advantage and sweep the minority groups out from under all the other parties! HA! And we better get people in wheelchairs too before Me Zille thinks of that!…
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be a article of propaganda…
Steve is also right when he says that Marxism is a flawed system. Don’t get me wrong… I would be all for it, but Marx never took in account the complete effect human unreliability would have on his theory. But that’s beside the point.
Steve shouldn’t have said what he said about gays not caring about Children… but I don’t blame him for being under the impression that this statement is correct because a lot of gay people in South Africa don’t act like they care about it. But I’m sure once we start marrying each other and proving that we can actually be faithful and monogamous, Steve will see the error of his statement and apologize.
Till that happens , are we going to enjoy being handbag gays for political parties and complain about a straight guy ranting that a college student doesn’t care about kids yet… or are we going to be more active in inspiring pro-gay activities in all the political groups and start making use of our beautiful right to marry one another whilst the world still allows it?
I’m personally more of a wallet kind of guy myself…
Very disappointed at Stevie Hoffmeyrs’s action, perpetuating hate between blacks ad whites, democracy is a choice to be whoever your sexual preference take you and pleasure to choice a political party. EFF is seen as political party of uneducated blacks!! and is just a myth. Honorable Julius Malema is a force of change that all South Africans. Our country can only move forward if our closet political parties can step out of the glamorous cocoons and pay attention to issues that bring this country down hill like Steve Hoffmeyrs’s commence.
If anyone pushes buttons concerning race it is the EFF. You think the heads of the EFF haven’t been trying to live in glamorous cocoons themselves? You obviously haven’t been paying much attention to the news. Julius Malema is a fat cat supreme! His only problem is he ran foul of Zuma, the other major fat cat here. If you want to see ignorance, the EFF and its members personify it.
Funnily enough Malema/EFF had never expressed any issues with their African hero Robert Mugabe’s virulent homophobic, racist and anti-Western ranting.
Now why is that?
Hear hear!
Groot nonsens kom, oor n week, maand of jaar of 5 jaar, maak nie saak nie maar dit kom en ek is ontnugter oor ons so genaamde leiers wat ons het geen wat werklik vertou kan word nie, as hulle monde oop gaan is dit net wind. Malema is minder as wind maar ek het lankal geleer om nie die vyand te onderskat nie. Steve Hofmeyr se wat hy wil se, hy draai nie doekies om nie en hy bedoel wat hy se. Geen vals beloftes en gee werklik om vir sy mense. Sit asb Steve Hofmeyr se naam op volgende stem brief want ek soek iemand waardig om voor te stem. Steve vir President…..
If anyone thinks the EFF is seriously interested in the rights of the LGBT community, just take a look at how they carry on concerning a variety of issues (such as race, etc.) It is one thing to have people’s rights enshrined on a piece of paper; it is another to actually follow said piece of paper. The EFF claims it stands for the poor, but all one has to do is look at the actions of Malema, Shivambu and the rest to realise that they are simply towing the populist line to get support. Look at how Malema lambastes the ANC’s corruption, and then look at his track record (if that isn’t hypocrisy I don’t know what is). The EFF are really interested in getting into power and lining their own pockets in the fastest and easiest way possible. In fact the EFF has simply shown that it appropriates whatever policies and rhetoric it thinks will make it look like it is some humanitarian organisation on the side of the downtrodden and marginalised to get support. If the EFF were to take over here I suspect serious human rights abuses, plus economic collapse and rapine of the countries capital and resources, would be the only results. I believe the EFF would be one of the worst things to hit this country.
I have a feeling Jaco Oelofse is one of that class of white person who believes that, in order to make the world a better place (usually a very narrow definition of a better place), they have to reject very thoroughly anything which could be viewed as “white” and Western, and have to adopt an anti-white, “revolutionary” stance on matters. These people usually turn out to have extremely rigid beliefs regarding race and culture (despite denying this) and subscribe to double standards regarding the rights of whites and others in the world. They also usually turn out to not know very much about history (as is the case with most radicals). Oh well, Jaco may have a rude awakening awaiting him at some point.