The South African political party Democratic Alliance (DA) has suspended one of its MPs following the resurfacing of several old clips online, in which he is seen using violent racist language against black people.
Renaldo Gouws initially suggested that one of the videos had been altered and denied its authenticity. However, a statement released by the DA on Thursday confirmed that the video was “authentic and not doctored.”
In the video, Mr. Gouws, who was sworn into parliament less than a week ago, repeatedly uses a local slur typically directed at Black Africans, along with the n-word, and advocates for violence against black people.
The DA, now a part of the government of national unity, announced that Mr. Gouws would be subjected to “disciplinary charges” in response to his actions.
This decision follows the emergence earlier in the week of additional clips in which Mr. Gouws makes racially inflammatory remarks. In one of the videos, he suggests that white people are experiencing a form of reverse apartheid.
He said: “If Africa had to disappear off the face of the earth, no one would [expletive] notice”.
More than 40,000 people signed an online petition calling for his removal as an MP.
On Monday, the 41-year-old claimed he wasn’t racist after the first clips came out, and apologised on X, saying he had spoken in a “crass” and “hostile” way.
“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,” he said.
John Steenhuisen, the leader of the DA, previously defended Mr Gouws, but it is unclear if he has seen the latest video where Mr Gouws calls for black people to be killed.
But the video was made available to DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille, on Wednesday, who told local media: “Such language is unjustifiable and unacceptable. I don’t see how such offensive language can be justified.”
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