South African MP Renaldo Gouws Suspended Over Racist Remarks in Resurfaced Videos

A South African lawmaker from the Democratic Alliance (DA), Renaldo Gouws, has been suspended after a series of old videos surfaced online, showing him using violent racist language against black people. Initially, Gouws suggested the videos were doctored and denied their authenticity. However, the DA issued a statement on Thursday confirming the videos were genuine.

In the clips, Gouws, who was sworn into parliament less than a week ago, repeatedly uses a local slur typically reserved for Black Africans along with the n-word and calls for black people to be killed. This incident comes at a challenging time for President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has recently agreed to form a new coalition government with the DA.

The DA, a center-right party, has faced ongoing accusations of racism from critics who argue that the party seeks to protect the interests of the white-minority population—a charge the DA denies. The party announced that Gouws will face disciplinary charges. Another resurfaced clip from earlier in the week shows Gouws making racially charged remarks, including implying that white people are subject to reverse apartheid and stating, "If Africa had to disappear off the face of the earth, no one would [expletive] notice."

Over 40,000 people have signed an online petition calling for Gouws's removal as an MP. On Monday, after the first clip emerged, the 41-year-old claimed he wasn't racist and apologized on social media platform X, describing his language as "crass" and "hostile." He stated, "I refute any claims of racism or being a racist. I can however see how my message was distorted in the way it was delivered by me and I take full responsibility for the actions of my younger and immature self."

John Steenhuisen, the leader of the DA, had previously defended Gouws, but it remains unclear if he has seen the latest video where Gouws calls for black people to be killed. Senior DA official and former party leader Helen Zille commented on Wednesday, stating, "Such language is unjustifiable and unacceptable. I don't see how such offensive language can be justified."

Gouws, a former councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay's ward two, is a popular figure on social media known for stirring controversy.