In South African politics, few things stir up debate like old social media posts resurfacing — especially when they involve racial slurs. Recently, a fresh storm blew up around Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie after a video clip surfaced where he openly admitted to being what he called the “biggest racist.” This admission sparked strong reactions, particularly from former Democratic Alliance MP Renaldo Gouws, who himself has a complicated history with racial controversies.
Renaldo Gouws Speaks Out Against Gayton McKenzie’s Racism Admission
Renaldo Gouws didn’t hold back on his X (formerly Twitter) account, joining many South Africans in condemning Gayton McKenzie for his past use of the K-word and the recent confession to racist attitudes.
Gouws called out McKenzie for defending those old social media posts, describing his stance as “hilarious” — especially considering their own histories.
Gouws pointedly responded to McKenzie’s posts by questioning his credibility: “How can you condemn the racism of others if you haven’t dealt with your own?” He reminded people that McKenzie criticized him harshly for a racist comment made back in 2010, while McKenzie himself admitted to saying racist things as recently as 2024.
The Irony of Cancel Culture: From Critic to Criticized
Last year, Gayton McKenzie, who has been open about his past as a convicted criminal turned politician, defended Gouws when his old, racially offensive videos reemerged online.
McKenzie urged South Africans not to “cancel” Gouws for words spoken years ago, stressing that people grow and change.
He tweeted, “I can’t stand this guy; he is not a good person, in my opinion.
He never let a day pass without bringing up my past during campaigning.
He reminded people every day that I once was a criminal, but to want to cancel or remove him from parliament for something he said 16 years ago is wrong.”
McKenzie emphasized that many people carry regrets about their past actions or words — including racist remarks — and argued that it would be unfair to destroy someone’s future over mistakes from many years ago.
A Public Confession and an Apology
Things took a sharp turn after Gouws shared a viral video clip of McKenzie admitting to his racism at a public event.
In the video, McKenzie said, “I was the biggest racist you could ever find. I hated white people with a passion.
But I had to de-kinate myself, because I thought white people just see me as a k**.”
Following the backlash, McKenzie appeared to soften his tone.
He tweeted an apology, stating, “I was wrong about Renaldo Gouws and would like to apologise.
I should have kept my ideas of redemption to people that are truly remorseful.”
What Do You Think About This Clash?
The back-and-forth between Renaldo Gouws and Gayton McKenzie has reignited debate about accountability, redemption, and the impact of past words on public figures.