McKenzie faces backlash for historical racist comments

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has filed a complaint against Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, accusing him of making racist remarks towards black South Africans.

The complaint, submitted to the Presidency, Parliament, and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests, focuses on tweets that the ATM claims contain "racist slurs," including the k-word.

The tweets, dating back to 2011 during his time as a businessman, resurfaced at the weekend after McKenzie's party, the Patriotic Alliance, filed criminal charges against Open Chats Podcast hosts Mthokozisi Methula and Sinothando Kama following their racist remarks aimed at the coloured community.

In the podcast clip, the hosts make several racist comments, claiming that not only do coloured families have sexual relationships with each other (incest), but they also suffer mental issues.

In one of his posts, McKenzie criticised the term "Black Diamond" while using a racially charged term that many in South Africa consider reprehensible.

ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula argued that the issue “is not a matter of political rivalry or petty offence. It is a matter of ethics, constitutional duty, and the moral fabric of the Republic".

“(The) tweets employ language steeped in historical racism, the same kind of degrading rhetoric used to strip black people of their humanity during apartheid and colonial eras.”

Zungula also criticised McKenzie for what the letter describes as hypocrisy in response to remarks by younger podcasters, stating that ministers carry heavier responsibilities than private individuals.

The complaint asks Parliament’s ethics bodies to determine whether the remarks breach the Constitution, the Executive Members’ Ethics Act, and the Parliamentary Code of Conduct, and to consider removing McKenzie from his ministerial post. It argues that his continued tenure undermines his office and Parliament.

The ATM also invoked several constitutional and statutory provisions, arguing that the Minister’s conduct violates principles of non-racialism, equality before the law, the dignity of all people, and the expectations of ethical public service. 

Requests for comment from the office of Minister McKenzie were not immediately returned.

However, on Friday evening, he wrote on his X account saying that: "This whole campaign to find something racist I ever said is hilarious because you have now gone 13 years back and can’t bring out one racist thing I ever said. I always and still fight that Coloureds and Blacks are one people being treated differently mistakenly.’

Meanwhile, ActionSA has reported McKenzie to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) for the racist remarks he made, which included the use of outdated and degrading slurs from the Apartheid era.

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