A Facebook video showing a young Indian-origin South African allegedly criticising Hinduism has been removed after the Hindu community members lodged an official complaint.
In the video, Simeon Bradley Chetty, a self-proclaimed Christian evangelist, criticised the Hindu faith.
He was seen addressing about a dozen people standing outside a block of flats in the sprawling Indian township of Chatsworth, south of Durban.
“We are lodging a formal complaint against both Mr Chetty and the Church he represents, and have taken the necessary steps to remove the video from Facebook,” the South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) said in a statement.
“The South African Hindu Maha Sabha notes the retraction and the unconditional apology that has been made and cautions others that Hindus will not tolerate this kind of behaviour from anyone,” the statement added.
His remarks triggered a flood of reactions on social media, including from members of other religious groups, condemning his attack on Hinduism.
There have also been calls for police to charge Chetty for having contravened national lockdown regulations introduced as the country battles the Covid-19 pandemic. The regulations prohibited any public gatherings, including religious services, at the time the video was made.