SAHRC: Tiaan Van Graan's post not hate speech The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has decided that a Johannesburg man's queerphobic religious rant is not hate speech.
by Mambaonline.com
02-05-2023 13:58
in LGBTQIA
SAHRC: LGBTIQ people are satanic' post not hate speech. Photo: Mambaonline
The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has decided that a Johannesburg man's queerphobic religious rant is not hate speech.
--
In October 2020, Tiaan Van Graan took to Facebook to condemn members of the LGBTIQ community, calling them the work of the devil.
ALSO READ: New round of public comments for Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill
The Alberton personal trainer wrote, God created a man for a women and a women for a man, and only a man and a women can create a baby, period.
Van Graan went on to add: there is only 2 genders male and female, the others are created by the devil to confuse people, and to twist gods creation.
His post went viral, generating hundreds of comments both in support of and against his views.
--
Hein Boshoff lodged a complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission asserting that Van Graan's statements were derogatory to the LGBTIQ community.
Now, more than two and half years later, the SAHRC has responded to his complaint, finding that Van Graan was constitutionally entitled to express his vitriol.
ALSO READ: African psychologists condemn LGBTQ conversion therapy
--
In a letter dated 24 April 2023, the Commission confirmed it had investigated the matter but concluded: that the Facebook post in question is potentially hurtful and offensive but does not constitute incitement to hatred or harm and is thus protected by the right to freedom of expression.
The SAHRC said the post in question is not desirable and ignorant, however it does not meet the requirement for hate speech as contemplated by the law, and urged Boshoff to report it to Facebook.
Based on the above, the Commission will proceed to close your file accordingly, concluded the SAHRC. It's unclear why it took so long to complete the investigation.
Boshoff told MambaOnline that he was disappointed at the outcome but did not regret complaining to the SAHRC, asserting that we need people to stand up for our community.
ALSO READ: KwaZulu-Natal resort denies it singles out gay and lesbian groups
He argued that while freedom of speech is important, Van Graan's post could harm vulnerable young people who are struggling to come to terms with their sexuality or their gender identity.
Boshoff stated that many teenagers still commit suicide because of the prejudice they face, and that Van Graan's message could lead to further rejection by parents and others.
The SAHRC's decision not to pursue Boshoff's complaint stands in contrast to its recent action against singer Steve Hofmeyr.
The Commission took Hofmeyr to the Equality Court over anti-LGBTIQ comments he made, and he ultimately settled out of court, issuing an apology to the community and agreeing to pay compensation to an LGBTIQ organisation.
The SAHRC's decision is likely to fuel debate about the balance between freedom of expression and the need to protect vulnerable communities from harm.
Article by Roberto Igual
This article was initially published on MAMBAonlie.com
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY Mambaonline.com
We pay cash for videos. WhatsApp 060 011 021 1
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
SAHRC: Tiaan Van Graan's post not hate speech The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has decided that a Johannesburg man's queerphobic religious rant is not hate speech.
