Farmer must pay R50 000 for racial slurs against animal welfare inspectors

An Eastern Cape farmer has been ordered to apologise to two National Council of SPCAs inspectors and pay the animal advocacy group R50 000 after he was found guilty of making a racial slur against the officers.

The matter was brought before the Equality Court for the District of Stutterheim against Gregory John Miles.

NSPCA spokesperson, Jacques Peacock, said Inspectors Singh and Khumalo went to Miles's farm in March following a complaint about the farmer's sheep farm.

"The officers found that the premises was empty and as they were leaving, Miles confronted them. During the exchange, he shouted, 'You f*****g c***s want to stop farmers from exporting live sheep.' He then locked the gates and refused to let the men leave," Peacock said.

Inspectors Singh and Khumalo opened a case of crimen injuria and when they returned to the farm the next day, Miles made racial slurs towards the Inspectors.

According to Peacock, Miles shouted: "A baboon can’t f*****g close a gate because it has a f*****g tail.” He also tried to interfere in the officers' work.

The Inspectors also lodged a complaint with the East London office of the South African Human Rights Commission.

Miles, in court, went on to deny the allegations against him and that it was a human rights violation.

"As a result, Miles has been ordered to issue a written apology to Inspectors Singh and Khumalo and to pay R50,000 in damages to the NSPCA. The related criminal matter, which had been provisionally abated pending the Equality Court’s decision, will now be reinstated," Peacock said.

The NSPCA slammed Miles's actions.

"No Inspector should ever be subjected to racial abuse or obstruction while carrying out their lawful duties," added NSPCA’s Farm Animal Protection unit manager, Nazareth Appalsamy.

Cape Times