Macpherson fingered over ‘discriminatory’ remarks

Dean Macpherson, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure. (Photo: Facebook/Dean Macpherson)

ActionSA has welcomed Parliament’s joint committee on ethics and members’ interests finding that Dean Macpherson, the minister for public works and infrastructure, breached Parliament’s ethical code of conduct by making discriminatory comments towards ActionSA supporters.

According to ActionSA, the committee found that Macpherson had breached several articles of the code of conduct. These provisions require, among other things, that members of parliament must maintain the public’s trust in the integrity of the parliament and commit themselves to the eradication of all forms of discrimination.

The finding comes after Macpherson described a group of mainly black ActionSA supporters as “amaphara” outside the High Court in Pietermaritzburg in July last year, according to ActionSA.

ActionSA says the ethics committee rejected Macpherson’s defense that “amaphara” is not discriminatory. The committee found that the word is derogatory and discriminatory, creates social stigma and labels those targeted as outsiders.

Dean Macpherson, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure. (Photo: Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure/Facebook)

The party also welcomed the committee’s recommendation that Macpherson be formally reprimanded in the National Assembly and that his apology be officially recorded.

“This outcome sends an important message that malicious discriminatory behavior cannot simply be excused or ignored when it is committed by political individuals,” ActionSA said.

Meanwhile, the party has also criticized the DA because, according to it, no significant public action has been taken against Macpherson.

ActionSA says the findings of the ethics committee will also be submitted as supplementary evidence in an ongoing complaint to the Human Rights Commission on the same matter.