The Democratic Alliance DA has hinted that President Cyril Ramaphosa should dismiss Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, citing his past use of the derogatory K-word.
McKenzie used the slur severally in old posts on X between 2011 and 2015. The posts have resurfaced on the social media platform, sparking outrage.
Several political parties, such as Economic Freedom Fighters and African Transformation Movement, have already called on Ramaphosa to fire McKenzie. ActionSA has also reported him to the South African Human Rights Commission.
DA takes aim at Gayton McKenzieIn a statement on Saturday, 9 August, DA joined the chorus, saying it expects that this matter will be dealt with in line with the same standards as others who perpetuate hate and division.
There should be no place for double standards and hateful race-based division in South Africa, whether it comes from a podcaster, from a government of national unity GNU party leader, or from singing hate-filled chants about killing people based on ethnicity, DA spokespersons Willie Aucamp and Karabo Khakhau said.
In past circumstances, the use of the K-word has had serious sanctions in South Africa, including dismissal, and we expect that will be the natural consequence here too.
McKenzie is President of the Patriotic Alliance PA, which is part of the GNU alongside the DA. In a post on X on Friday, he denied being racist.
This whole campaign to find something racist I ever said is hilarious because you have now gone 13 years back and can't bring out one racist thing I ever said. I always and still fight that Coloureds and Blacks are one people being treated differently mistakenly, he wrote.
PA Deputy President Kenny Kunene , who is currently suspended, also came to McKenzies defence, saying he is not and will never be a racist.
His mother is a South Sotho woman from Batho location in Mangaung, and his father is coloured, he posted on X on Saturday.