Exploring the Use of South African Ethnic and Racial Slurs on Social Media

Abstract

In this paper, I use discourse analysis as a framework to examine Facebook posts and understand how South African ethnic and racial slurs are used and responded to on social media platforms. I illustrate how language in general and slurs in particular work as tools for the negotiation, (re)production, (re)circulation and maintenance of particular ethnic and racial identities and representations. My findings focus on two interrelated aspects of the data: the first concerns the discursive features of the initial posts and the second relates to subsequent responses to the posts. The close examination of initial posts reveals the ways in which the original posters (OPs) position themselves and those they refer to using these slurs. Social media interlocutors recognise the words “kaffir”, “coolie”, “Hottentot” and “makwerekwere” as strongly tied to power and racial/ethnic identity and deliberately use them to provoke controversial debates and to construct “us vs. them” scenarios. The significance of the study is twofold: firstly, it contributes to literature that highlights the role of social media platforms as vehicles for racial and ethnic hate speech. Secondly, it underlines the complexities of race and ethnic relations in the country by highlighting the need for robust discussions around the way South Africans view themselves in comparison to out-group members, including other Africans.

Dismissals for Social Media Hate Speech in South Africa: Animalistic Dehumanisation and the Circulation of Racist Words and Images

“…Further in the sample there was evidence of ethnophaulisms to dehumanise and denigrate black or brown bodies. Brown bodies were referred to as ‘coolie’ or ‘koelie,’ which is an offensive, derogatory, insulting and hurtful term ‘for one of Indian descent’[ 153 : 191, 123 : 54, 38 : 47–50, 168 : Mooi F [167]–[169], [172], 40 (b)]]. Further slurs included ‘hottie,’ ‘hotnot’ or ‘Hottentot.’ ‘Hottentot’ is said to derive from the Dutch word ‘huttentut’ [ 81 : 241] or German ‘hotteren-totteren’ meaning ‘stammerer’ or ‘stutterer’ [ 150 ], as the settler peoples found the ‘clicking sounds’ and ‘staccato pronunciation’ of the indigenous Khoikhoi language ‘strange’ and ‘bestial’ [ 123 : 54, 108 : Mamosebo J [20]].…”

“…Brown bodies were referred to as ‘coolie’ or ‘koelie,’ which is an offensive, derogatory, insulting and hurtful term ‘for one of Indian descent’[ 153 : 191, 123 : 54, 38 : 47–50, 168 : Mooi F [167]–[169], [172], 40 (b)]]. Further slurs included ‘hottie,’ ‘hotnot’ or ‘Hottentot.’ ‘Hottentot’ is said to derive from the Dutch word ‘huttentut’ [ 81 : 241] or German ‘hotteren-totteren’ meaning ‘stammerer’ or ‘stutterer’ [ 150 ], as the settler peoples found the ‘clicking sounds’ and ‘staccato pronunciation’ of the indigenous Khoikhoi language ‘strange’ and ‘bestial’ [ 123 : 54, 108 : Mamosebo J [20]]. ‘Hotnot’ and ‘hottie’ are the abbreviated forms thereof [ 81 : 243].‘Hottentot’ is a derogatory term of reference to the Khoikhoi or San people, [ 153 : 414, 40 (e), 197 ] or ‘an offensive mode of address to a coloured person’ [ 81 : 243].…”

“…The ‘k-word,’ ‘known most pointedly for its license of violence towards Blacks during apartheid’ 39 has been described as the ‘most offensive word that can be used towards a black person in South Africa’ [ 81 : 280]. It was used during the colonial and apartheid eras to ‘denigrate,’‘dehumanise’ 40 and treat black bodies as ‘non’ or ‘sub’ human and is still viewed as ‘taboo’ due to its racist connotations [ 123 : 54, 34 : 43–44]. It is the ‘highly offensive’ [ 34 : 43], ‘contemptuous,’ ‘abusive’ ‘racial insult’ for Black African individuals [ 153 : 45].…”

“…2 However, racism and the vestiges of a colonial and apartheid past persist in South African society, economy and its public and private discourses [ 12 : 671, 48 : 22, 92 : 377–378, 86 : 325]. Racialised hate speech has been identified in South African online digital spaces [ 123 : 53–68; 167 : 42]. It has been suggested that racialised speech is the most prevalent form of hate speech on social media platforms [ 130 : 89].…”

A critical investigation into the reality of decolonising labour law: a South African perspective.

“…According to Magubane, South Africa is the epitome of racially-based social pyramids and has long had a hierarchy of cheap labour, readily available for exploitation. 36 Magubane argues further that the Republic of South Africa, in its current form has a two-faced labour market. On the one side, secure, well-paying jobs dominated by the white population and on the other side, an unsecure, filthy and low paying employment dominated by 32 (2016) 37 ILJ 2593 (LAC).…”