Sizwe Dhlomo’s Jab at Suspended DA MP Renaldo Gouws Sparks Frenzy, SA Stans
- Suspended Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Renaldo Gouws's political career has stalled for the time being
- Dhlomo took a jab at Gouws as he prepared to appear before the party's Federal Legal Commission (FLC)
- In a resurfaced, widely circulated video online, Gouws was heard spewing a barrage of racial slurs at black people
- The DA suspended him this week, with the South African Human Rights Council (SAHRC) planning to haul him in front of the Equality Court
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Source: Instagram
Radio personality Sizwe Dhlomo is among the South Africans — politicians, celebrities or otherwise — who've taken exception to an old video of Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Renaldo Gouws making derogatory remarks towards black people.
The Nelson Mandela Bay ward councillor has since been given a notice to appear before the party's Federal Legal Commission (FLC) to explain away the mess — again.
Gouws gives context into racist mess
However, his X post on Monday, 17 June, seemed to stir a particular interest in some circles, not least the Kaya FM radio jock.
Dhlomo sneakily replied to Gouw's pic and cap of his MP card. It displays his name, surname, and "Parliament of the Republic of South Africa."
He captioned the post:
"It’s going to be fire (fire emojis)."
Dhlomo, exactly a week to the day, replied:
"…And indeed, it was… lol!"
This deliberately-timed post sparked an immediate frenzy online.
But not before Gouws wrote and posted a concise message giving context to his previous actions.
He wrote:
"A snippet of a video that I posted 16 years ago when I was still a young student [resurfaced] on social media over the last few days.
"I addressed this snippet in 2016 and again in 2020 when approached by the media when it [resurfaced].
"This was at the time when then President [Jacob] Zuma and then [ANC] Youth [League] leader [Julius] Malema were singing songs about killing people based on their race.
"Before this, and before these snippets were used publicly against me, I posted a lengthy Facebook post from 2013 in which I apologised for how I delivered my message in my videos — angry, hostile, confrontational and crass."
Gouws refuted any claims of racism, saying he recognised how his message was distorted in the way it was delivered and took full responsibility for the actions of his "younger and immature self".
"For that, I apologise unreservedly," he said.
The DA suspended him this week, with the South African Human Rights Council (SAHRC) planning to haul him in front of the Equality Court.
Online users' unforgiving response
Dhlomo's post received over 450,000 views, 7800 likes, 1200 reposts and over 350 comments.
Online users had some "fire" reactions to the circus, and Briefly News looks at some of the reactions below.
@Ponagatso_ wrote:
"Digital footprint is something else... he'll forever be an image of no good."
@iamRTI said:
"He should delete that picture."
@JosephNgidi added:
"The only fire that was there was…FIRED!!"
Mzansi rallies behind urgent petition to remove Gouws
In related news, Briefly News reported that an urgent petition demanding Gouws' removal from Parliament garnered significant support, collecting more than 2,300 signatures in less than five hours on Monday, 17 June.
This rapid response comes in the wake of a controversial video Gouws posted in which he made racially charged remarks that sparked widespread outrage.
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Source: Briefly News
