
As G20 Summit looms, Joburg DA says city in no shape to host global event
For the first time, South Africa will host the G20 summit, a gathering of the world's major economies, with Johannesburg selected as the host city.
At a media briefing on Thursday morning, the DA's provincial leader, Solly Msimanga, raised the alarm over the state of the city.
'Streetlights are still a mess, potholes everywhere, we still have streets that are littered and those that have freshwater and sewer flowing. We still have hijacked buildings and issues of security, and therefore, we're still asking what is happening here.'

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Eyewitness News
10 hours ago
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McKenzie plans to sue podcasters over disparaging comments about coloured community
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The Citizen
11 hours ago
- The Citizen
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Patriotic Alliance leader said he would be taking legal action after racial slurs spark nationwide outrage Gayton McKenzie, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and current Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, has vowed to take legal action against the Open Chats Podcast after a viral clip surfaced showing its hosts making derogatory and racist comments about the coloured community in South Africa. In the video, the podcasters claimed that coloured families engage in incest and described the community as 'crazy'. The remarks have sparked public outrage, prompting political leaders, civil society and ordinary citizens to demand accountability and legal barriers. McKenzie reacts: 'It's racism, we're going after them' Open chat podcast team. Image: Instagram In a video posted to social media, McKenzie condemned the podcast episode, calling it blatant racism and confirming that his party's legal team had been instructed to deal with the matter swiftly. 'I want a report today of how we are going to deal with those people who said coloureds are crazy,' said McKenzie. 'All steps are going to be taken; we're going after them in their capacity legally.' He further highlighted the double standard in how the media and society react to racial issues. 'If coloured people made those remarks about any other race group, it would be frontpage news. We must never allow people to become that comfortable with disrespecting us.' McKenzie emphasised the need for legal answers to offensive remarks about his community. ALSO READ: 8 things South Africans secretly miss from the '90s Public outrage and calls for accountability Gayton McKenzie. Picture: TikTok The clip has triggered a flood of criticism across social media platforms, with users calling for the episode to be taken down and for consequences to follow. Many were particularly incensed that the podcast production team allowed the episode to be aired, even after hearing the derogatory remarks during recording and editing. PA councillor Liam Jacobs also condemned the remarks, saying: 'This clip hurt. Action needs to be taken, and we must make a strong point. To the podcasters: go read and educate yourselves about coloured people. We are not your punchline.' DA files complaint with South African Human Rights Commission Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) also entered the fray, reporting the incident to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). 'Hate speech, harmful racial stereotyping, and the public degradation of any group in our society cannot be tolerated. We note the podcasters have since apologised, an implicit admission of guilt. But an apology alone does not erase the harm caused,' the party said. The DA also emphasised the importance of upholding free speech responsibly. 'We will always defend the right to free speech, but that right ends where it infringes on the constitutional rights and dignity of others.' Podcast apologises amid growing backlash In response to the criticism, the Open Chats Podcast issued a public apology via its social media platforms, expressing regret for the episode. 'The intention was never to cause harm or disrespect the coloured community. Open Chats is a platform centred around open conversations that sometimes touch on sensitive topics. However, we recognise that we must conduct our conversations respectfully,' the statement read. The podcast has since issued a written apology and removed the controversial episode from all platforms. Civil society weighs in Civil rights organisation Cape Forum also condemned the podcast's remarks and called for a full investigation by the SAHRC. 'This type of rhetoric is damaging, degrading, and cannot be swept under the rug. We demand a full inquiry and appropriate sanctions,' the group said.