Former SA Idols winner Heinz Winckler is borrowing American conservative tactics to “combat the moral decay in South Africa”, but with a twist.
Mere weeks after launching his Charlie Kirk-inspired ONE80 movement, the Somerset West resident refutes statements that the organisation is a political party. Instead, Winckler claims the movement is based on Christian values, with the aim to “reach like-minded people who want to see change” in the country.
The launch announcement, made via a video on Instagram on Wednesday 22 October, sparked fierce controversy last week, with critics labelling the singer-turned-pastor a “Christian nationalist” who is importing divisive American politics to South Africa.
“I have been called a fascist, a nationalist, a racist, a right-winger. I had to look up all those terms to see what they really mean, because I do not think the people throwing them around know what they mean,” Winckler points out.
From pop star to pastor
Winckler’s journey from pop star to movement founder spans two decades. He became a household name before transitioning to contemporary Christian music and founding LoveKey Church in Somerset West in 2020.
Based in the Helderberg region, where he estimates 82% of 260 000 residents identify as Christian, Winckler questions why this doesn’t translate into community outcomes.
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t the broader value system show that? Everyone should be thriving, families should be healthy,” he says.
The Charlie Kirk connection
His inspiration for the movement is inspired by the late American conservative activist Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012. Kirk built the youth organisation into a major political force across more than 850 US college campuses before his assassination at age 31 in early September.
“I have been deeply moved by what happened to Charlie Kirk and inspired by the legacy he left behind,”Winckler said in a video.
Like his inspiration, Winckler is no stranger to controversy. While Kirk attracted criticism for allegedly spreading misinformation on Covid-19 and making racially charged statements, Winckler and other parents faced scrutiny for questioning a school’s support of a transgender learner at a Somerset West school in 2021. He also spoke out against the public advertising of a sex expo in the Cape in 2023, calling for its immediate removal.
The ONE80 blueprint
ONE80 is entirely separate from Turning Point USA (TPUSA), with no official connection, Winckler points out, saying he independently created the South African movement inspired by the American organisation’s methods, but built on different foundations.
“This is not a political party; this is a movement built on Christian values,” he explains. He further admits he has borrowed TPUSA’s “Faith, Family, Freedom” slogan and organisational structure.
ONE80, he says, follows a three-phase strategy: gather like-minded people, unify them around shared goals, and mobilise them through chapters nationwide.
“Our nation is following destructive values. Let us get people onto values that are constructive, productive, pro-family, pro-society,” explains Winckler.
Key differences
While ONE80 mirrors TPUSA’s structure, there are fundamental differences between the two organisations. TPUSA focuses on secular political conservatism – government overreach and constitutional principles. ONE80, on the other hand, targets what Winckler feels is moral decay: “family breakdown and fatherlessness”.
“Sixty-five percent of homes in our country do not have a father physically present. Statistics show that when fathers are missing, society suffers on all levels,” he says.
Furthermore, while TPUSA pursued direct political involvement through presidential candidate endorsements, ONE80 will prioritise cultural transformation over immediate political power.
“I do not see the value of trying to lobby a political party right now. Our best approach is a ground-up movement,” Winckler explains.
I will do whatever I feel God leads me to do. I only started this, because I felt God said do it.
Family values
Winckler’s position on family structure has also been in the spotlight. He defines family as “God’s plan” of husband-wife-children who are “raised with good values”.
“The law of family is like the law of gravity. You can fight against it, but every time you jump, you will come down if you do not do it God’s way,” he says.
When questioned about welcoming non-traditional families, Winckler offers conditional acceptance: “Everyone who wants to serve the greater vision is welcome. But if they come with a worldview against what we are aiming for, we might say, ‘We do not agree.’”
Defending the views
Winckler rejects accusations of importing American division, arguing South African politics is already polarised. “Our politics is divided. I cannot do anything to make it more divided. America’s politics is already here – everyone has opinions about Trump and Charlie Kirk,” he explains.
He emphasises ONE80 would welcome people of all faiths around shared values: “Someone who’s not of the same faith is not unwelcome. We want to see healthy values transform our nation.”
He acknowledges Christianity’s complex political history in SA, but distinguishes between true and false faith.
“Christianity in its wrong form has a stigma, but in its true form Christianity is life-changing in a positive way.”
Political ambitions
Despite building a movement using political tactics, Winckler maintains political office is not his current focus. “I have not made a decision on that; I will do whatever I feel God leads me to do.”
The controversy around the organisation’s establishment has boosted interest.
“This week our sign-ups exploded. I got bad publicity, and people went, ‘I want to be part of that,’” he notes.
ONE80 appears to operate as a community-focused organisation addressing what Winckler sees as family breakdown, rather than the national political movement some anticipate, with its founder emerging as a community figure channelling traditional family values through Kirk’s proven organisational blueprint.
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