Minister Gayton McKenzie Faces Resignation Calls Over Racist Allegations
- Pressure is mounting for Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie to be removed from his position
- This comes after old social media posts allegedly containing derogatory language towards black people resurfaced
- ActionSA has filed a complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) accusing Minister McKenzie of making racist remarks.
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie is facing mounting calls to step down after decade-old social media posts allegedly containing derogatory remarks about black people resurfaced.
Source: Getty Images
Political parties want McKenzie axed
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to act, while ActionSA has lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). In a statement, ActionSA spokesperson Matthew George said the party believed a sitting Cabinet minister should be held accountable for language that it considers “racist and demeaning.”
He noted that earlier this week the party had condemned offensive remarks directed at the coloured community, and it was now taking a similar stance on the resurfaced posts. ActionSA has also taken issue with Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson, accusing him of making “deeply offensive and racially charged” comments about ActionSA supporters, referring to them as “amapara” and “hobos.”
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McKenzie claps back
McKenzie responded by saying that attempts to find racist remarks he has made are unfounded, claiming no such comments have been uncovered despite searches going back 13 years. He repeated his view that Coloured and Black people are one community but are mistakenly treated differently.
McKenzie added that some people seem more upset by the Coloured community’s reaction to racism than by the racism itself, warning that excusing such behaviour only encourages it to continue.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans weigh in
social media users shared their opinions regarding the remarks made by Minister McKenzie.
@just_B_1 said:
"Gayton Mckenzie is a black South African, just any other black South African. This is a fruitless exercise."
@GrooTMan226 said:
"He must step down."
@UKwaneleMthalan said:
"Racism has no place in this country, they must learn that being a racist has consequences!"
@RichBlackWidow said:
"This Patriotic what what must fall."
@NeilSmi63468483 said:
"Racism is distasteful, but it seems we have political parties who need to pick the battles they fight. If this one is won, I wonder what it will mean in the daily lives of the population?"
@Nelisiwe94 said:
"He said black people have nothing and will die having nothing, but he forgot we have a VOICE now that our parents died fighting for and we have NUMBERS on our side."
@Baza__x said:
"Ay like Gayton said all those guilty of being a racist should deal with the consequences."
McKenzie withdraws statement linking SABC to podcast
In a related story, Briefly News reported that the President of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Minister Gayton McKenzie, spoke up about the remarks he made about the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Minister McKenzie said he met with the SABC and admitted that he was wrong for implicating the SABC with the Open Chats Podcast.
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Source: Briefly News
