Minister Gayton McKenzie Responds to Racist Remarks Amid SAHRC Complaint Against Him from ActionSA

• Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie has clapped at people calling him a racist
• The minister said that a campaign alleging he is a racist over comments he made years back is laughable
• It has been reported that a political party has filed a complaint against the minister to the South African Human Rights Commission for alleged racist remarks

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie is facing heat from South Africans. This comes after remarks made years back have resurfaced on social media.

Minister McKenzie accused of racism

ActionSA has filed a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), accusing Minister McKenzie of making racist remarks. The statement claims McKenzie repeatedly used derogatory language from the Apartheid era, along with other remarks that allegedly degraded and dehumanised black South Africans.

A statement by ActionSA said that earlier this week, ActionSA joined South Africans in condemning vile and repugnant remarks aimed at the coloured community. It added that on 9 August 2025, the party took a stand against all forms of racism.

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ActionSA said a sitting cabinet minister should be held accountable for comments that cannot reasonably be defended as anything but racist and demeaning. The party said that racism towards any person should not be tolerated in South Africa.

Minister McKenzie claps back

Some social media users referred to posts McKenzie allegedly made in 2013. McKenzie responded by saying that efforts to find racist statements he has made are unfounded, noting that no such remarks have been found even after searching back 13 years. He emphasised his ongoing stance that Coloured and Black people are one community, mistakenly treated differently.

He also suggested that some people are more upset by the Coloured community’s reaction to racism directed at them than by the racism itself. McKenzie warned that excusing those responsible only encourages future racist behaviour.

Earlier this week, McKenzie revealed his intention to take legal action against podcasters who made disparaging comments about the coloured community in a recent social media episode.

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South Africans weigh in

Social media users shared their opinions regarding ations taken by the ActionSA.

@CRangataJ said:

"ActionSA’s house is falling apart… councillors resigning left, right & centre, yet you run to the HRC over Gayton? Instead, focus on fixing your collapsing party instead of chasing headlines."

@Jikingqina said:

"You must open a criminal case too."

@UKwaneleMthalan said:

"Job well done! Racism has no place in this country, they must learn that being a racist has consequences!"

@Bronx_wrangler said:

"Will you do the same to Black people using the same word? Will you do the same when coloured, Indian and white South Africans are call derogatory names?"

@Baza__x said:

"Ay like Gayton said all those guilty of being a racist should deal with the consequences."

@Sthamber said:

"ActionSA is as racist as it can be. Do not use Gayton McKenzie for political scores. South Africans are watching and they know the racists hiding in their corners. Black hate is prevalent in South Africa."

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McKenzie withdraws statement linking SABC to podcast

In a related story, Briefly News reported that the President of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie, spoke up about the remarks he made about the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

McKenzie said he met with the SABC and admitted that he was wrong for implicating the SABC with the Open Chats Podcast. This was after the podcast hosts went viral for using racially discriminatory statements against coloured people.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News