South African man Adam Catzavelos loses job and apologizes after racist rant goes viral
Adam Catzavelos says he is sorry... now that his racist rant has cost him his job at his family business.
Adam Catzavelos says he is sorry… now that his racist rant has cost him his job at his family business.
Catzavelos filmed himself on a beach in South Africa saying that it was “heaven on Earth” because no Black people were there. That would be bad enough, but he doubled down on the racist ignorance by using a the “k-word,” a derogatory term white South Africans use for Black people.
After the video went viral on Twitter, #AdamCatzavelos became a trending topic.
Fired
This did not go unnoticed by St. George Fine Foods, Catzavelos’ family’s company. They decided to give him the boot as soon as the video hit the internet. In addition to losing his job, he was also kicked off the board. It it unclear how the company will handle his 33% minority stake in the enterprise. In just a matter of days, the company had already lost at least one business relationship with the Baron Group.
“We are aware of the #AdamCatzavelos video. The Baron Group have a zero-tolerance policy on racism and will be serving our steaks without basting while we find another supplier,” said the company in a tweet.
We are aware of the #AdamCatzavelos video. The Baron Group have a zero-tolerance policy on racism and will be serving our steaks without basting while we find another supplier.
Regards,
The Baron Group pic.twitter.com/i43RoQWMXF— The Baron Fourways (@Baron4ways) August 22, 2018
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Apology Not Accepted
Catzavelos issued an apology:
“I have watched my video and feel total shame. It is hard to put into words what I want to say and genuinely apologise. I don’t expect people to forgive me‚ but will spend the rest of my life repenting and trying to make up for my total lack of respect and judgement.”
Catzavelos was right to not expect acceptance because a lot of people gave his apology the side-eye.
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Radio 702 host Eusebius McKaiser felt the apology was missing a few elements, namely an admission of being racist.
This apology from #AdamCatzavelos rings hollow.
No clear admission that his speech was racist and that he is a racist. Mxm. pic.twitter.com/TUEgAJMY8p
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) August 24, 2018
The #AdamCatzavelos hashtag also ignited a conversation about racism in South Africa.
To the white people offended by #adamcatzavelos, are you willing to show the same outrage when it’s your brother, your best friend, your co-worker who shares racist sentiments? Will you sit politely in silene or call the racist fucker out? Enough is enough. Silence is violence!
— Robyn Porteous (@RobynPorteous) August 22, 2018
White South Africa may not know #AdamCatzavelos personally. May not like or agree with what he said. But because we’ve all encountered a #AdamCatzavelos at some point and said nothing, he thought his video was a good idea.
— Nickolaus Bauer (@NickolausBauer) August 22, 2018
Watch the video that ignited the whole controversy here.
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