Correction: This article originally claimed that another paramedic had made scathing comments during the harrowing Knysna fire catastrophe, but it is, in fact, the same incident and same person referred to in the original article: Racist Tweets about Knysna fires has online community up in arms. The inaccuracy was brought to our attention by Netcare and we apologise for any confusion, both the title and URL have been amended to more accurately relay the correct message.

Earlier in the week, we brought you the news of a Netcare911 paramedic whose offensive Facebook post about the Knysna fires got him suspended.

Well, lightning has struck twice. Another paramedic has used social media to air his twisted views, blaming the fires on gay marriage.

Bossie Boshoff (not his birth name) has also been suspended for his downright insensitive post and faces a disciplinary hearing next week to determine whether he can keep his job. In the now infamous Facebook status, he insinuates that the raging wildfires are a form of punishment from God, over liberal attitudes towards homosexuality.

What Boshoff posted:

“It was just after the elections of the Dutch Reformed Church where they approved homosexual marriage… It was all over the newspapers… God was taunted with it… They should not cry about the fires now… God won’t allow himself to be made a fool of … !!!!”

The four exclamation marks really do add a touch of class to proceedings, hey?

The paramedic was referring to the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival, Knysna’s annual LGBTI event that the celebrate’s the community’s culture and identity. The Dutch Reformed Church he mentions voted to approve gay marriage in 2015 and Boshoff directed his anger at “12 homosexual weddings” taking place in one day.

Netcare911 Managing Director Craig Grindell has had a busy week, having to distance himself and the company from an employee’s inappropriate social media post for the second time in three days. He labelled the comments “unacceptable”, and made it clear that this sort of behaviour would not be tolerated:

“Netcare and Netcare 911 have a firm, zero-tolerance stance towards discrimination of any kind. We will not hesitate to take the strongest possible action when made aware of any action, and or behaviour, of a staff member which transgresses the company’s values, ethics and code of conduct,”

Read: Knysna Fires Update: Official death toll rises to six

Boshoff has since deactivated his Facebook account, but not before someone managed to grab a screenshot of his status, which was sent to News24.