JOHANNESBURG – Political pressure is mounting on President Cyril Ramaphosa to sack Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie after old social media posts emerged showing him repeatedly using the K-word to describe black people.
The posts, reportedly dating back to 2013, have sparked widespread condemnation across the political spectrum, with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) joining the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA in calling for his removal.
EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo accused McKenzie of “deliberate and repeated” anti-black prejudice, saying he should not only be removed from office but also issue a public apology to black South Africans. Thambo said McKenzie’s stance on racism is hypocritical, citing his outrage earlier this year when podcasters made derogatory remarks about Coloured people.
“The double standard strips him of any moral or ethical standing to lead on issues of non-racialism and social cohesion,” Thambo said.
DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp said the matter should be handled with the same seriousness as other hate speech cases, pointing out that previous uses of the K-word have resulted in dismissals. “There should be no place for race-based division in South Africa, whether from a podcaster, a GNU party leader, or anyone else,” Aucamp stated.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said racism and the dehumanisation of any person cannot be tolerated. His party has lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission, describing McKenzie’s language as “hateful Apartheid-era slurs.”
McKenzie has dismissed the backlash as an attempt to dig up old dirt, insisting he has always fought for unity between Coloured and black communities. Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene defended him, saying McKenzie’s background and past conduct show he is not a racist.
The Presidency has not yet responded to the calls for action.
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