ActionSA Rejects Gayton McKenzie’s Apology for Racist Tweets

ActionSA has firmly rejected Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie’s apology on X (formerly Twitter) for decade-old racist posts. Party leader Herman Mashaba criticized the statement as insufficient and misleading:

"If this is called an apology, then I don’t know what apology is... He’s trying to distract from the subject matter," Mashaba said.

Key Objections

ActionSA highlighted several issues with McKenzie’s apology:

• Minimization: Tweets were framed as “stupid trolling” rather than acknowledged as racist
• Insufficient Contrition: “You can’t lightly apologize for deep hatred”
• Permanent Stain: “Racist beliefs are inborn – people just hide them”

READ: "SA Still Has a Race Problem" - Diversity Expert Calls for McKenzie's Resignation Over Racist Remarks

Demands for Portfolio Reassignment

Mashaba proposed concrete measures to address the controversy:

• Immediate removal from the Arts & Culture portfolio, described as “a unifying department”
• Potential reassignment to a less symbolic ministry if coalition politics require
• Human Rights Commission complaint: Formal charges filed against McKenzie

"We cannot have him standing before 80,000 at FNB Stadium as 'our minister' while black South Africans know his history," Mashaba added, referencing rugby’s unifying role in the country.

READ: ActionSA Reports Sports Minister to Human Rights Commission Over Alleged Racist Tweets

Political Ramifications

The incident underscores tensions within the Government of National Unity (GNU):

• ANC’s dilemma: Balancing coalition stability with public outrage
• Precedent setting: How historical social media activity affects ministerial fitness
• Public trust: “This won’t go away – we’ll pursue it relentlessly,” Mashaba stated

This controversy highlights ongoing challenges in political accountability, racial sensitivity, and coalition governance in South Africa.