McKenzie under fire for racist tweets

Some posts date back to 2011

- NICOLA DANIELS and THABO MAKWAKWA.

THE South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is expected to meet today to consider a racism complaint against Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie over resurfaced tweets dating back more than a decade where he had apparently used the derogatory k-word.

The SAHRC complaint, filed by ActionSA, stems from McKenzie’s social media posts, some as old as 2011 containing the k-word to refer to black people.

“We must fight to protect the dignity of every South African and ensure that all, especially those serving as Cabinet Ministers, uphold the very essence of our constitutional dispensation, for which many sacrificed their lives,” said ActionSA MP, Alan Beesley.

If necessary, the party said it would also escalate the matter to the Equality Court.

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) also filed a complaint with the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests saying that the language was divisive and “undermines national cohesion”.

The complaint letter added that an “unrepentant Minister cannot credibly lead a department tasked with building cultural bridges and fostering unity.”