Nomazulu Moyo
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has taken decisive action in response to allegations of hate speech by Member of Parliament Renaldo Gouws. The controversy centers around a video in which Gouws allegedly used offensive and derogatory language targeting Black individuals.
The video and its impact
The video, originally published on Gouws’s YouTube channel in March 2010, resurfaced recently, prompting scrutiny and outrage. In the footage, Gouws reportedly made the following statement: “There’s a couple of things I want to say: ok, kill all the f#$%ng K@#$%rs, kill all the f#$%@ng N#@#$%ers. That’s all that I’ve got to f@#$%ng say. Kill all the f#$%#ng n#@#$$%rs.”
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) was alerted to the matter by concerned citizens on social media. After assessing the content, the SAHRC concluded that Gouws’s utterances constituted hate speech and/or harassment, violating the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 (PEPUDA).
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DA’s Response
The DA Federal Executive swiftly investigated the authenticity of the video and confirmed its veracity. Consequently, Renaldo Gouws has been suspended with immediate effect pending disciplinary proceedings before the Party’s Federal Legal Commission. Richard Newton, DA Director of Communications, emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and the need for accountability.
Legal Implications
The SAHRC, empowered by the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013, will take the matter to the Equality Court. Gouws’s position as a Member of Parliament adds weight to the situation, as he is expected to uphold constitutional principles, including human dignity, equality, and non-discrimination.
This comes in less than two weeks after he was elected as the DA member of parliament.
