adam catzavelos

130619w- Nuus -Johannesburg- Adam Catzavelos went on a racist video rant whole on holiday on a Greek island appeared at the randburg magistrate court,the Economic Freedom Fighters opened a crimen injuria case against him foto Felix Dlangamandla/Netwerk24 story Werner Buekers

Adam Catzavelos apologises to South Africa for being a racist

As part of his settlement deal with SAHRC, Catzavelos had this to say to South Africa about his racist slurs.

adam catzavelos

130619w- Nuus -Johannesburg- Adam Catzavelos went on a racist video rant whole on holiday on a Greek island appeared at the randburg magistrate court,the Economic Freedom Fighters opened a crimen injuria case against him foto Felix Dlangamandla/Netwerk24 story Werner Buekers

One can safely assume that about a year ago, when Adam Catzavelos recorded himself on that beach in Greece, enjoying life ‘without a k-word in sight’, he had no foresight of the shit storm that followed once that video went viral for all the wrong reasons.

The embattled k-word ranter appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, on Thursday, to finalise matters related to the crimen injuria charges — laid by the EFF — and the settlement matter between him and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

Adam Catzavelos: Crimen injuria appeal dismissed

Adam Catzavelos’ bid to avoid criminal prosecution in the case that was lodged by the EFF has failed. The holidaymaker was told that his appeal to the Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions was dismissed.

Adam Catzavelos has not run out of options in challenging the EFF’s charges, just yet. His legal representatives made it known to the court that while their submissions to the GDPP were unsuccessful, they still had the right to have the court’s decision reviewed.

Therefore, the matter will now be taken to the office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shamila Batohi.

Catzavelos reaches an agreement with SAHRC

The SAHRC had attempted to reach an amicable solution to the whole k-word debacle by proposing that Catzavelos pay a R200 000 fine over a 20-month period and swear, in the form of a restraining order, to never utter a racial slur again.

This proposal was initially declined by Adam Catzavelos. His plea was to have the matter settled out of court, as he could not commit to such an amount, at a time when he could not afford to pay it.

However, on Thursday, the embattled holidaymaker reached a 150 000 settlement agreement with the SAHRC, which he will pay over a 30-month period.

He has also agreed to commit 160 hours of his time doing community service work in Soweto, over a period of six months.

Moreover, as part of the settlement, Adam Catzavelos has agreed to publicly apologise for his racist remarks in a letter we have seen.

In the letter, Catavelos acknowledges that in August 2018, he indeed “made a racial slur, using the k-word with reference to black South Africans in general.”

He admitted that what he saw in the video he recorded — when he was ‘forced’ to watch it — left a bitter taste in his mouth.

In the apology letter, Catzavelos reflected on his ignorance and swore that he is now “acutely aware of how profoundly dehumanising and hurtful it must be for black South Africans to be referred to by the k-word with all of its connotations.”

“I have had to look at myself from many different angles inside and out and can assure you that I have grown as a person, and never again will I be so insensitive as to not take other people’s feelings into account,” the holidaymaker wrote.

You can read the full apology letter below.