(RNN) - A South African woman was sentenced to up to three years in jail for making racist comments captured in a 2016 video.
Vicki Momberg, a white woman, is the first person to be charged with racism in South Africa’s history, according to state media.
Momberg was caught on camera shouting racial slurs to police officers who attempted to assist her after she was allegedly robbed.
She was convicted last year of four counts of “crimen injuria,” the willful injury of someone’s dignity.
In the video, an irate Momberg is seen pacing back on forth on the phone as black officers stand around her.
WARNING: Video contains language people may find objectionable.
“And then I tried to phone the police and every single person that answers the phone is a black person,” Momberg said in the video. "And they’re all clueless.”
When the woman is approached by a white officer who asks her to calm down, she continues.
“They’re opinionated, they’re arrogant, and they’re just plain and simple useless,” she said.
Momberg said she did not like a single black person in Jo’ Burg (Johannesburg). She eventually told police to get away before she drove off in her vehicle.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation released a statement following the sentencing which said race abuse would not be tolerated in the country.
"For too long post-apartheid South Africa has pursued what we would call strategies of generosity in relation to such manifestations of racism. It must stop. But it is not enough to act against ‘incidents’ of racism. It is time to transform the underlying structures of power and privilege," the foundation said in a press release.
Many also took to social media to show their approval of the ruling.
One user said the ruling was a "step in the right direction."
It’s about time we as South Africans take racism seriously and punish those that are guilty. It is simple, we have no place for racism in SA. Today’s court ruling is a step in the right direction ???? #VickyMomberg https://t.co/sZSj4h5zEa
— Trevor Geoghegan (@TrevorGeo) March 28, 2018
Momberg’s mother told the news she was completely shocked at the occurrence.
“We know nothing about it,” said Davina Momberg after the video emerged. “We would never say that.”
Momberg’s lawyers said they will appeal the ruling.
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