The South African Human Rights Commission has confirmed that legal proceedings will be pursued in the Equality Court on Friday in relation to allegations involving Bok lock Eben Etzebeth.
Before Etzebeth departed with the Springboks to the World Cup, he met with the HRC to discuss allegations of his involvement in an unsavoury incident in Langebaan on the eve of the team’s squad announcement.
This followed a social media storm, which erupted to suggest that Etzebeth had been involved in an ‘assault’ that allegedly had racial connotations.
Etzebeth first strongly refuted the claims, while SA Rugby has repeatedly stated that the lock would remain with the Springboks unless the police require reconsideration.
In the latest developments on the matters, SAHRC spokesperson Buang Jones said as soon as a court date is confirmed, a way forward on the matter will be penned and announced.
Meanwhile, the commission will also hold a mass public meeting in Langebaan on Thursday to address the community’s unhappiness over how the matter was handled by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and SAPS.
‘We [SAHRC] are going to address them, and they will raise all their concerns about racism in the area,’ Jones said.
A docket containing statements regarding two counts of assault against Etzebeth was reportedly handed to the NPA, and after initially being sent back for further investigation, has since been completed.
In a previous statement, SA Rugby insisted that they would cooperate with the investigation by authorities and reiterated its trust in the NPA and SAHRC to investigate the case thoroughly.
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