The Democratic Alliance (DA) Federal Executive has suspended newly sworn in MP, Renaldo Gouws, after his second racist rant emerged on social media.
“The DA has established that the video in which Renaldo Gouws uses execrable language, is in fact genuine and not a fake as initially suspected. The DA Federal Executive has therefore suspended Mr Gouws with immediate effect while he faces disciplinary charges before the Party’s Federal Legal Commission,’’ read a statement from the party.
Gouws found himself at the top of the trends list on X, after one of his many hate speech videos surfaced, which he justified as a response to the ‘’Kill the Boer’’ song that was chanted by the ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema and his party, dating back between 2008/2009.
A petition of over 30 000 signatures calling for his removal from Parliament has since been established.
In the recent video, a young version of Gouws can be heard calling for the execution of black people.
“Alright, so there’s a couple of things I want to say, kill the f**king k**ers. Kill all the f**ing n***ers. That’s all I’ve got to say,’’ ranted Gouws in the video.
Gouws’ suspension comes a day after DA leader, John Steenhuisen came to his defence.
‘’I think the remarks need to be seen in their context. He’s apologised for them, and it was 16 years ago. When people are young and irresponsible, they are young and irresponsible,’’ said Steenhuisen.
The video caused public outrage, with both ordinary citizens and politicians calling for him to be held accountable.
“Anyone who thinks the DA didn’t know what Renaldo Gouws has been saying about black people must think again. He plugs into the feelings of many white people, those who are terrorised by equality with blacks. They chose him because they wanted racist votes of people who every dinner time, talk like Gouws and express black genocidal fantasies. DA knew, I’m not buying it,’’ commented the EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
The Patriotic Alliance’s leader, Gayton McKenzi threatened to take the matter further and lay charges against Gouws at the Equality Court, despite earlier supporting Gouws and calling for his forgiveness.
Gouws’ utterances come at the backdrop of the newly formed Government of National Unity and during a time when the country commemorates 30 years of democracy.
