Latest news with #RenaldoGouws
eNCA
16-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Former DA MP acknowledges racist comments
JOHANNESBURG - Former DA MP Renaldo Gouws has issued an unconditional public apology for a racist video published in 2010. It contained racially offensive and harmful language directed at Black people. Gouws will also participate in workshops, public education and awareness activities. It's part of an agreement with the Human Rights Commission that includes him attending a diversity sensitisation session. READ: DA terminates Renaldo Gouws' party membership Gouws attacked Julius Malema, using the K-word, after the EFF leader sang the struggle song 'Kill the Boer'. SA Human Rights Commissioner Professor Tshepo Madlingozi had a discussion with eNCA's Gareth Edwards.
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Top 10 stories of the day: SCA dismisses Magudumana appeal
Here's your daily news update for Friday, 16 May 2025: An easy-to-read selection of our top stories. News today includes Dr Nandipha Magudumana's appeal to have her arrest and deportation from Tanzania declared unlawful has failed. Meanwhile, former Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Renaldo Gouws has publicly apologised for his 2010 video, which contained racially offensive and harmful language directed towards black South Africans. Furthermore, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Shamila Batohi has explained why the state took three years to investigate prosecutors involved in the trial of controversial Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso. Weather tomorrow: 17 May 2025 Persistently high temperatures are forecast over the Northern Cape's Richtersveld Municipality tomorrow, while dry conditions are expect nationwide. Full weather forecast here. Stay up to date with The Citizen – More News, Your Way. Nandipha Magudumana's appeal against deportation dismissed by SCA Dr Nandipha Magudumana's appeal to have her arrest and deportation from Tanzania declared unlawful has failed. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissed the appeal on Friday morning and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that it will now focus on the accused's trial. Thabo Bester's co-accused Nandipha Magudumana. Picture: Gallo Images 'The NPA is committed to ensuring that justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done because of the alleged crimes' impact on the rule of law and the victims,' NPA national spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said. CONTINUE READING: Nandipha Magudumana's appeal against deportation dismissed by SCA Sassa offices 'reach capacity for the day'? We have no policy to turn people away, says agency The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has acknowledged reports of grant beneficiaries being turned away from its Johannesburg offices this week, but maintains that the issue is not related to capacity constraints. This follows reports from frustrated beneficiaries on Thursday, who claimed they were denied assistance when they arrived at the Sassa offices. Frustrated crowd outside the Sassa office in Johannesburg after they were told to return home on 15 May 2025. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/ The Citizen Several individuals were allegedly told they could not be helped due to a 'quota' system, prompting concerns about the agency's ability to manage the high demand for services. CONTINUE READING: Sassa offices 'reach capacity for the day'? We have no policy to turn people away, says agency Gouws issues apology after SAHRC hate speech complaint settlement over 2010 video Former Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Renaldo Gouws has publicly apologised for his 2010 video, which contained racially offensive and harmful language directed towards black South Africans. Gouws and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) have reached a settlement in the complaint the commission lodged against the YouTuber-turned-politician before the Equality Court. Democratic Alliance MP Renaldo Gouws. Picture: X/@Am_Blujay The complaint was sparked by a video from March 2010 that resurfaced shortly after he was sworn in as an MP in 2024, where the controversial commentator is heard using multiple racial slurs. CONTINUE READING: Gouws issues apology after SAHRC hate speech complaint settlement over 2010 video WATCH: Elephant chases away police at Kruger Park Wildlife and traffic scattered chaotically when an elephant recently threw a huge tantrum on a road at Kruger National Park. Beryl Venter and her partner got to witness this outburst on video while heading to the park exit between Letaba Camp and Phalaborwa Gate. Elephants in the Kruger National Park. Picture: Sibongumenzi Sibiya/The Citizen Beryl told Latest Sighting that the couple saw 'wild dogs running around and playing in the road, 21 of them', when suddenly an elephant emerged from the bushes and chased the dogs. CONTINUE READING: WATCH: Elephant chases away police at Kruger Park Batohi explains why NPA did not investigate prosecutors in 2021 Omotoso trial National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Shamila Batohi has explained why the state took three years to investigate prosecutors involved in the trial of controversial Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso. Omotoso and his co-accused, Lusanda Solani and Zukiswa Sitho, were acquitted by the Gqeberha High Court of 32 serious charges, including allegations of rape, racketeering and human trafficking, on 2 April. National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi. Picture: Gallo Images / Phill Magakoe Judge Irma Schoeman said the state had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. CONTINUE READING: Batohi explains why NPA did not investigate prosecutors in 2021 Omotoso trial Here are five more stories of the day: Yesterday's News recap READ HERE: Cornal Hendricks remembered | 8 000 healthcare workers lose jobs | Will Trump embarrass SA?
Eyewitness News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Former DA MP Gouws apologises for racist remarks after settling out-of-court with SAHRC
JOHANNESBURG - Former Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Renaldo Gouws has apologised for his racist remarks after settling out of court with the South African Human Rights Commission in his hate speech case. Gouws landed in hot water in 2024 after a video he took in 2010 resurfaced. In the viral footage, Gouws could be seen using racially offensive and harmful language directed at Black South Africans. He was recalled by the DA from the National Assembly before severing ties with the party. In the five-page-long apology dated 14 May, Gouws said that he acknowledges now that the language he used in that video was unacceptable, degrading to Black people and harmful to social cohesion. He also apologised for taking 15 years to take full responsibility for his remarks. 'To all South Africans, especially Black South Africans, and Black people globally, I am sorry. I am sorry for the pain, anger and trauma my words have caused. I am sorry for trying to justify, minimise and sanitise them. I know that this apology does not erase what I said or did, but it is a step, I must take to acknowledge the effect of my actions and begin to account for them. I remain committed to learning, listening, and doing the difficult work of repair.' Spokesperson for the commission, Wisani Baloyi, said, 'The commission welcomes Mr Gouws's acknowledgement of the impact of his past conduct and reiterates that the right to freedom of expression must be exercised in a manner that respects the dignity and equality of all people.' The SAHRC said that Gouws still has to attend two public awareness workshops as part of his settlement.
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Did Renaldo Gouws get off too easily or does he deserve a second chance after apology?
Former DA MP Renaldo Gouws has issued a public apology after reaching an out-of-court settlement with the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which will withdraw a hate-speech case lodged against him in the equality court. The controversy stems from resurfaced footage from 2010 in which Gouws reacted angrily to EFF leader Julius Malema chanting 'Kill the boer, kill the farmer.' In the video, Gouws used the k-word, called Malema a 'black idiot' and described those who sang with him as 'barbaric people'. After the backlash and legal action, Gouws posted an apology video on X and YouTube, stating: 'The commission and I have reached an out-of-court settlement. This means they will withdraw the hate speech case against me before the equality court. One of the requirements is to make an apology video.' In his apology, Gouws admitted his words were 'deeply hurtful' to black South Africans, though he stood by his view that the chant itself was insensitive and divisive. The SAHRC is expected to issue a statement on the matter soon.
Daily Maverick
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Ex-DA MP Renaldo Gouws settles hate speech case, apologises for racist video
Former Democratic Alliance member of Parliament Renaldo Gouws has apologised for a 15-year-old racist video that emerged after he was elected to public office. The apology is part of a settlement with the South African Human Rights Commission, which had brought a hate speech case against him. Former Democratic Alliance MP Renaldo Gouws has made a full and unconditional apology for a 15-year-old racist video he uploaded on YouTube, but later removed. The video resurfaced when he was sworn in as a member of Parliament in 2024. 'To all South Africans and especially black South Africans, I am sorry. I am sorry for the pain, anger and trauma my words have caused. I am sorry for trying to justify, minimise and sanitise them. I know this apology does not erase what I said or did, but it is a step I must take to acknowledge the effect of my actions and begin to account for them,' said Gouws in the apology, broadcast on his YouTube channel on Thursday. He expressed a commitment to 'learning, listening and doing the difficult work of repair.' 'I apologise unreservedly to the people of South Africa both for the racial invective I expressed in the video itself and for taking so many years to take full responsibility for it,' he said. 'I despise racism in all its forms and have always been committed to building a true nonracial South Africa. My actions over the past 15 years have clearly demonstrated this. During the period when the video in question was made, I was actively involved in charitable work for people of all races.' After the video resurfaced, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) approached the Equality Court seeking an order for Gouws to apologise, be fined R100,000, undergo diversity training and be given 20 hours' community service. In the video, Gouws is heard saying: 'Alright, so there's a couple of things I want to say. Kill the f***ing k****rs, kill all the f***ing n***ers. That's all I gotta f***ing say. Kill all the k****rs! Kill all the f***ing n***ers!' In papers filed before the Gqeberha Equality Court, Gouws said that it was 'patently false' that he called for the killing of black people in the video. He argued that this was only a snippet of the video and by itself conveyed the 'completely wrong impression' of what he intended to say. The online news website IOL was sanctioned by the Press Council for not showing the full video. 'I had no intention to be hurtful or harmful to incite harm or propagate hatred,' Gouws said in his affidavit before the court. 'In fact, I specifically state in the video that I did not mean anything that I had said, but I wanted to evoke a response.' In his apology, he confirmed that he had met with the SAHRC on 14 May to discuss a settlement. He said they had agreed that he would issue an unconditional apology, and the case against him would be dropped. 'Fifteen years ago, on 11 March 2010, while I was a 27-year-old student and not yet a political figure, I recorded and published a video on YouTube where I intended to comment on the then ANC Youth League President Julius Malema singing the words: 'Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer.' 'I maintain that singing of those words is insensitive, divisive and deeply hurtful towards Afrikaners, especially those affected by violent crime in rural areas. However, I acknowledge that my critique itself was insensitive, divisive and deeply hurtful towards black people,' the apology began. He said that although he followed up his racist rant with a caveat that he did not mean what he said, 'It was unacceptable to use such violent language to make my point.' Constitutional Court Gouws continued by saying that he accepted that the Constitutional Court had ruled that the phrases were unutterable and racist. 'Further in the video,' he continued, 'I described Julius Malema as an 'ignorant, little f***ing black idiot' and referred to those who sang along with him as 'f***ing barbaric people'. 'In the same video, I claimed that some of the policies introduced in democratic South Africa constituted a 'new apartheid'.' He said he maintained his political view that affirmative action and Black Economic Empowerment were not being implemented fairly and constructively. But, he added that he acknowledged that this could not be equated to apartheid — a crime against humanity that stripped black people of meaningful opportunities and was enforced through murder, disappearances and arbitrary detention of political dissidents. 'The video in question had been viewed over 100,000 times by people from all over the world before I removed it from YouTube in 2013 and published a Facebook post,' he said. The Facebook post Gouws refers to reads: 'I will never apologise for feeling the way I did back then as there were various factors that brought out that rage in me. I will apologise though for not educating myself enough on certain topics before giving my opinion on them. 'It's only now at the age of 30, that I get it. It took me some time to look at the other side of the coin and put myself in someone else's shoes and completely understand the effects the history of our country has had on all of us.' Gouws said he now understands that this was not an adequate apology for what he said in 2010. 'More significantly, I failed to acknowledge and apologise for the deep pain and humiliation that my words undoubtedly caused to black people both at home and abroad.' He claimed that when an 'edited version' of the video resurfaced after he became an MP, IOL treated him unfairly by withholding the full context of his words — a fact confirmed by the Press Council, which ordered IOL to apologise to him. Gouws also maintains that he was treated unfairly by the DA. After the video resurfaced in 2024, the party terminated his membership. He said he had apologised again for the video in 2024, but that he now accepted that his previous apologies were limited and qualified. 'I use this opportunity to tender a full and unconditional apology,' he added. Remarks retracted He also withdrew previous public statements accusing the SAHRC of double standards and calling for its defunding. 'I retract these remarks. The SAHRC performs vital functions in our society, including combating racial hostility and hatred, and its officials do so with dedication and care.' He condemned the actions of other social media users who vilified SAHRC officials. Gouws said he hoped that this would be the end of the matter. 'I am happy with the settlement. I can now close this chapter in my life and focus on continuing doing the work I have been doing to make South Africa a better place for all.' He said he would focus on growing his businesses and his podcast, adding that he was starting a new venture with the billionaire and private investor Rob Hersov. He said he welcomed a chance to just 'enjoy life'. However, he said, he wasn't done with IOL yet. 'I will offer them the opportunity to publicly apologise and admit that they manipulated the video and lied to their readers. If they don't, then I will be taking them on legally.' Gouws said in the hours after publishing his apology he had received 'overwhelmingly positive' feedback. 'I think everyone is just happy that I can move on from this and start the next chapter of my life.' Gouws' attorney Willie Spies said Gouws 'has committed himself to ongoing work to improve the relationship between people in South Africa. Our client has on various occasions in the past apologised for the way in which he, 15 years ago, expressed his opinion.' He said the latest apology was agreed on by Gouws and the SAHRC and Gouws was committed to working for greater 'mutual respect amongst all South Africans'. The SAHRC confirmed the settlement. DM
