DA stands by Gouws amid pressure for his head

June 18, 2024 101

Political analyst, Professor Siphamandla Zondi, says he doesn’t believe the Democratic Alliance (DA) will act against Member of Parliament, Renaldo Gouws, over utterances he made on social media about 15 years ago.

Gouws is under fire over a 2009 video, which social media users dug up soon after he was sworn-in as a Member of Parliament in which he talks about “reverse apartheid”.

Alleged DA Racist, Renaldo Gouws, calling protesting Black students “thugs” and demanding that they be expelled and jailed pic.twitter.com/lL6a3D7oWv

— Koketso_Montjane (@KoketsoMontjane) June 17, 2024

An online petition has now been launched by Kimberly Jones, calling for the MP’s removal from the National Assembly.

Over 45 000 South Africans have, so far, signed the petition.

The former Nelson Mandela Bay councilor has since apologised for his rant, while also refuting claims that he is a racist.

A snippet of a video that I posted 16 years ago (back in 2009) when I was young and still a student has been recycled and posted on social media over the last few days.

I addressed this snippet in 2016 and again in 2020 when approached by the media when it was posted on social…

— Ngamla Gouws 🇿🇦 (@RenaldoGouws) June 17, 2024

Speaking to YNews, Professor Zondi says unless someone approaches the South Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), the DA will probably sit on their hands.

The DA has meanwhile distanced itself from the content of the video and its tone.

While acknowledging the call for Gouws’ head, the party believes he has learnt from this chapter.

“The DA also notes that Mr Gouws took the video down from social media over a decade ago and apologised for this video and its content in 2013. The DA believes that Mr Gouws is indeed remorseful for his outburst over a decade ago.”

The EFF, however, wants a probe into the matter.

It says it will be submitting a formal complaint to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

“And just as racist Gouws has found a political sanctuary in the DA, so has the African National Congress (ANC) led by Cyril Ramaphosa. While the EFF supports the nationwide calls for Gouws to be removed as a Member of Parliament, we are aware that his removal will not dent the DA’s quest to defend the gains of colonialism and apartheid,” says the EFF in a statement.

PA leader, Gayton McKenzie, believes that while Gouws should be held accountable, he shouldn’t be cancelled.

There is a huge difference between holding people accountable & cancelling people, @RenaldoGouws should be held accountable but cancelling him is just plain wrong in my opinion. I believe in restorative justice because I am a recipient of it.

— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) June 18, 2024

The DA MP is one of the top trends in the country, with many South Africans saying he cannot be their representative in Parliament.

@RenaldoGouws is a coward. Couldn’t even honor his own word. So glad to put on a rain suit and sit in parliament. @Our_DA. https://t.co/4E4kmcU14r

— ngeptanghe (@ngeptanghe) June 18, 2024

Being a racist is something that was instilled in you while you were still young, you are forever going to be a racist. You are still surrounded by same white people that taught you to hate blackness and being in parliament will not change your mind and force you to love blacks

— Douglas (@DouglasJunnees) June 18, 2024

No, lesheshe must leave parliament

— Department of public knowledge (@pubic101) June 18, 2024

Asnandaba nalokho Wena rascist..angixoli mina

— Siphelele Mshengu💙 (@SipheleleMshen2) June 18, 2024

Personally I’ve seen the vids maybe ke slow learner mara BLACKS ALWAYS TALK THAT TALK.
LEAVE THE GUY AND MOVE ON.

— Sir Charles Barbage (@Kingzz_m) June 18, 2024

This is what @RenaldoGouws means when he says apartheid was better. https://t.co/UxRZhbbC61

— Katlego Kgethi Liphoko 🇨🇩🇵🇸 نجاح (@Kgethi_Liphoko) June 18, 2024