The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will today, June 20, start proceedings at the Equality Court in Gqeberha against Renaldo Gouws, a Member of Parliament, for alleged racial utterances relating to online media posts.
As previously reported by the PE Express, this follows the resurfacing of old videos in which the former NMB councillor, Renaldo Gouws, calls for the killing of Black people using derogatory language.
In a statement, SAHRC spokesperson, Wisani Baloyi said, “this explicit content, initially published on his YouTube channel in March 2010, was archived despite being deleted and has resurfaced, revealing behaviour that is incompatible with the principles of dignity and equality enshrined in South African law.”
Baloyi added that, the Commission was tagged by citizens on social media seeking that it intervenes in this matter.
“Following assessment of the content, the Commission has concluded that utterances allegedly made by Gouws constitute hate speech and/or harassment as contemplated in terms of sections 10 and 11 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 (PEPUDA or Equality Act).
“The Commission is empowered in terms of section 13(3)(b) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013 (SAHRC Act), to bring proceedings in a competent court or tribunal in its own name or on behalf of a person or a group or class of persons.
“Given Mr Gouw’s position as a Member of Parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility, as he is expected to uphold and embody the principles enshrined in the Constitution, including human dignity, equality, and non-discrimination,” Baloyi concluded.
In response to the videos, Gouws made an apology on X, denying that he was racist and stating that the videos were made when he was “young and still a student.”
He stated that he was reacting to comments made by “former President Zuma and then Youth Leader, Malema, who were singing songs about killing people based on their race.”
“I refute any claims of racism or being a racist. However, I can see how my message was distorted by the way it was delivered, and I take full responsibility for the actions of my younger, immature self,” said Gouws.
