The HRC is gunning for Anthony Mathumba, a Makhado local municipality councillor, it alleges was the face behind the controversial ‘Tracy Zille’ Twitter account.

According to a Cape Times report, the commission had referred the matter to the Louis Trichardt Equality Court after investigating a complaint relating to the social media account.

‘It appeared from the account that a white woman was making disparaging, racist and harassing comments towards black women in particular. From a closer inspection, and after an expose in the media, it was reported that the Tracy Zille account was in fact run by one Mr Anthony Mathumba, a local councillor. It was further reported that Mr Mathumba was generating an income from making these disparaging and inflammatory comments online through companies he owned and registered to which social media users were directed,’ said the HRC.

The Equality Court case is expected to proceed until tomorrow.

The HRC has requested the court to declare comments made by Mathumba as harassment based on gender and race, and for the respondent to pay damages as a result of his impugned statements.

The HRC says it ‘condemns any form of harassment against women, and in particular in this matter black women, as it contradicts the aims of the Equality Act, 2000. The HRC is further confident that the court will send a strong message against anonymous social media users who attempt to abuse these platforms to the detriment of social cohesion and nation building,’.

Full Cape Times report