News / Africa
DA/ANC-led Ethics Committee refuses to probe kaffir tweets
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PARLIAMENT'S Ethics Committee will not investigate a racism complaint against Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie.
His offensive tweets containing the use of the Kaffir word predate his time as a Member of Parliament.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) submitted the complaint to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests on Sunday, saying McKenzie needed to be held accountable for the use of the derogatory term.
Approached for comment, Parliament spokesperson, Moloto Mothape said: "The Office of the Registrar received a letter from the ATM on Sunday, 10 August 2025. However, the alleged tweets by Minister McKenzie occurred prior to his becoming a Member of Parliament on 14 June 2024. In terms of Item 4(2)(a) of the Code, read with Item 4(3)(f), conduct committed before a person becomes an MP does not fall within the scope of the Code. Accordingly, no complaint has been opened by the Registrar. There is, therefore, no competent complaint before the Ethics Committee."
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has yet to announce its steps after ActionSA filed a complaint against McKenzie, saying they were "confronting racism in all its forms by holding a sitting Cabinet Minister accountable for comments that no reasonable person can defend as anything other than racist and demeaning".
The SAHRC were expected to meet on the matter on Monday and said they would comment in due course.
McKenzie has denied the racism allegations, calling it a political campaign orchestrated by the EFF and various social media influencers.
"In my life, I have never called anyone the K-word. This campaign is driven by the EFF and influencers. Could you show me the people I called the K-word? Please bring them to me. This whole campaign to find something racist I ever said is hilarious because you have now gone 13 years back and can't bring out one racist thing I ever said. I always and still fight that coloureds and blacks are one people being treated differently mistakenly.
"I can never be guilty of racism, try some other take down but never racism. I did tweet some insensitive, stupid and hurtful things a decade or two ago, I was a troll [and] stupid. I cringe when seeing them and I am truly sorry for that. I shall subject myself to the investigation," he said.
The presidency did not respond to requests for comment on the matter by deadline.
His offensive tweets containing the use of the Kaffir word predate his time as a Member of Parliament.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) submitted the complaint to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests on Sunday, saying McKenzie needed to be held accountable for the use of the derogatory term.
Approached for comment, Parliament spokesperson, Moloto Mothape said: "The Office of the Registrar received a letter from the ATM on Sunday, 10 August 2025. However, the alleged tweets by Minister McKenzie occurred prior to his becoming a Member of Parliament on 14 June 2024. In terms of Item 4(2)(a) of the Code, read with Item 4(3)(f), conduct committed before a person becomes an MP does not fall within the scope of the Code. Accordingly, no complaint has been opened by the Registrar. There is, therefore, no competent complaint before the Ethics Committee."
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has yet to announce its steps after ActionSA filed a complaint against McKenzie, saying they were "confronting racism in all its forms by holding a sitting Cabinet Minister accountable for comments that no reasonable person can defend as anything other than racist and demeaning".
McKenzie has denied the racism allegations, calling it a political campaign orchestrated by the EFF and various social media influencers.
"In my life, I have never called anyone the K-word. This campaign is driven by the EFF and influencers. Could you show me the people I called the K-word? Please bring them to me. This whole campaign to find something racist I ever said is hilarious because you have now gone 13 years back and can't bring out one racist thing I ever said. I always and still fight that coloureds and blacks are one people being treated differently mistakenly.
"I can never be guilty of racism, try some other take down but never racism. I did tweet some insensitive, stupid and hurtful things a decade or two ago, I was a troll [and] stupid. I cringe when seeing them and I am truly sorry for that. I shall subject myself to the investigation," he said.
The presidency did not respond to requests for comment on the matter by deadline.
Source - Cape Times
