Who is Renaldo Gouws? Ex-MP's life story, politics, and controversies
Renaldo Gouws is a South African politician with a background in industrial psychology who has attracted controversy. Since winning the MP seat with the Democratic Alliance in June 2024, he has been under fire for remarks he made in 2010 that some have called racist.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Renaldo Gouws grew up in a modest family in the Eastern Cape. He entered politics in the early 2010s, quickly rising through the ranks to serve as a councillor and then as a Member of Parliament.
Renaldo Gouws' profile summary
| Full name | Renaldo Gouws |
| Date of birth | May 2, 1983 |
| Age | 41 years old in 2024 |
| Birth sign | Taurus |
| Place of birth | Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Current residence | Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Gender | Male |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Laurynne Meyer (2014 to date) |
| Children | None (as of 2024) |
| Education | Hoërskool BrandwagNelson Mandela University (industrial psychology) |
| Profession | Industrial psychologist, politician |
| Political party | Democratic Alliance (2012-2024) |
| In office | As MP (June 2024 to September 2024)As Councillor (2016 to 2024) |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter)FacebookYouTubeTikTok |
Who is Renaldo Gouws?
Renaldo Gouws is a professional industrial psychologist and politician from South Africa. He has a master's degree in industrial psychology which he obtained from Nelson Mandela University in 2010.
In 2012, Gouws graduated from the Provincial Young Leaders Program. He was also part of the National Youth Leadership Program until 2013.
Source: Instagram
Renaldo Gouws' age
Gouws is 41 years old as of December 2024. He was born on May 2, 1973, in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Renaldo Gouws' wife
The politician is married to graphic designer Laurynne Gouws. The couple tied the knot in 2014. They currently reside in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, with their pet dogs, Carter and Kennedy, who occasionally feature on Laurynne's Facebook page.
Source: Facebook
Renaldo Gouws' political career
Renaldo began his political journey in 2012 when he joined the Democratic Alliance (DA), which is the second-largest political party in South Africa behind the African National Congress (ANC). He became the branch chairperson of Ward 2 in Nelson Mandela Bay the same year.
In 2016, he earned a position on the Democratic Alliance's proportional representation list, becoming a Councillor in the Nelson Mandela Municipality Council. Later in 2019, Renaldo triumphed in a by-election for Ward 2, where the DA achieved an impressive 94% of the vote.
Renaldo also held the position of Spokesperson for Economic Development, Tourism, and Agriculture for the DA in Nelson Mandela Bay. After the 2024 South African general election, Gouws was sworn in as a Member of Parliament but had to resign from office after about three months.
Source: Twitter
What did Renaldo Gouws do?
In June 2024, Renaldo Gouws came under fire after old videos surfaced online, showing him reportedly making violent and racist remarks against Black people. In one of the videos that was initially uploaded on his YouTube channel in March 2010 and deleted but archived, the ex-MP used derogatory slurs and called for the killing of Black people.
Mr Gouws also insinuated that white people were being subjected to reverse apartheid. Following public outcry and Renaldo Gouws' suspension from DA, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) shared that it was going to bring charges against Renaldo at the Equality Court in Gqeberha.
Given Gouws' position as a member of parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility, as he is expected to uphold and embody the principles enshrined in the Constitution, including human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.
Source: Twitter
What happened to Renaldo Gouws?
After looking into Renaldo Gouws' racist videos controversy, his Democratic Alliance membership was terminated in September 2024, leading to the resignation of his seat in parliament. The DA came to a unanimous decision after a conclusive investigation was done by its Federal Legal Commission (FLC).
In a statement shared on X (Twitter), Gouws criticized the DA's decision, saying that his comments, which he uttered over 15 years ago, were taken out of context. He vowed to pursue all legal and ethical options to clear his name.
While I respect the processes within the party, I strongly disagree with both the findings of the FLC and the actions taken by FedEx. Throughout my career as a public representative, I have always represented my ward, constituency, province and country to the best of my ability. I have consistently worked to represent the best interests of all South Africans, regardless of race, culture or creed.
In November 2024, the SAHRC brought Renaldo's hate speech and racism scandal before the Gqberha High Court. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika a day after the hearing, SAHRC Eastern Cape manager Eileen Carter shared that the proceedings would continue in May 2025 against the ex-MP, who had argued that he was exercising his artistic freedom of expression.
The commission is clear on what we determine as hate speech, harassment, and unfair discrimination and why we determine that it is an ongoing harm. That is going to be a consideration for the court to make...We really encourage people towards a responsible social media engagement. We need to make sure that the dignity of the populace and of the country is safeguarded in line with the Constitution as well as the Equality Act.
Source: Facebook
Renaldo Gouws' political career has been marked by controversy, including the resurfacing of past remarks that led to his removal from the Democratic Alliance and Parliament. The outcomes of ongoing legal proceedings and public discourse will shape his future in South African politics.
READ ALSO: Herman Mashaba's biography
Briefly.co.za shared all you need to know about the life and career of South African politician Herman Mashaba. He is the current president of ActionSA, a political party he founded in 2020.
Herman grew up in a humble background in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria. Check the article for more on his journey to success in both politics and business.
Source: Briefly News
