CT man ordered to apologise to SA Jewish community, pay R50k fine
The Equality Court handed down the ruling on Friday, finding Thomas Torr guilty of hate speech.
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CAPE TOWN - A Cape Town man has been ordered to apologise in writing to the South African Jewish community and pay a R50,000 fine to the Cape Town Holocaust and Genocide Centre within 30 days.
The Equality Court handed down the ruling on Friday, finding Thomas Torr guilty of hate speech.
The case was brought by the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) after Torr shared social media videos in 2023 and 2024 that were found to incite harm and spread hate against Jews.
The board’s Daniel Bloch has welcomed the court’s decision, saying it sends a clear message that hate speech has no place in South Africa.
The executive director of Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Daniel Bloch, is pleased with the ruling.
“For the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, this is a significant legal victory. This ruling stands as a landmark victory not only for the Cape SAJBD and the Jewish community but for the constitutional and democratic rights of all South Africans.”