Former Democratic Alliance MP Renaldo Gouws has issued a public apology for making racist remarks in a 2010 video that resurfaced in 2024 .
The video showed Gouws using offensive language toward black South Africans, leading to his recall from Parliament and eventual departure from the DA .
As part of a settlement with the South African Human Rights Commission SAHRC, Gouws acknowledged the harm caused, apologised for delaying accountability and committed to personal growth and repair.
To all South Africans, especially black South Africans, and black people globally, I am sorry. I am sorry for the pain, anger and trauma my words may have caused. I am sorry for trying to justify, minimise and sanitise them.
I know that this apology does not erase what I said or did, but it is a step I must take to acknowledge the effect of my actions and begin to account for them. I remain committed to learning, listening and doing the difficult work of repair, he said.