McKenzie Refuses To Apologise for Racism Allegations

(The Post News)- Sports, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has refused to apologize for racism allegations, saying he is not racist. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa asked him to apologize.

McKenzie said he will not apologize for something he has not done. Speaking to eNCA, he questioned why he should apologize for “some of the nonsense things I said about guys?”

McKenzie has been in the spotlight after he laid criminal charges against Open Chats podcast hosts, accusing them of being racist. Social media users then dug up his old tweets that he allegedly posted before he became a minister. In some of these posts, he used the K-word, a highly offensive racial slur in South Africa.

These tweets prompted ActionSA to lodge a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Critics, including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, have urged the commission to investigate thoroughly. They argue that if the commission finds McKenzie guilty, the president must act because ministers take an oath to uphold the Constitution.

McKenzie has previously spoken out against racism, notably calling out the hosts of the Open Chats podcast for making offensive comments about his race. However, he has claimed that his opponents are using the allegations as part of a political campaign to discredit him. “They fear me. They have been calling me ‘bhantinti.’ Every time I beat them in elections, they bring up racism,” he said.

The minister rejected accusations of racism, saying that before entering politics, he was a wealthy Black businessman and socialite. He added that becoming a minister changed his life and led him to find God. “If you want to punish me, punish me at the ballot box,” McKenzie said.

He also stressed that he will not keep his job at the cost of apologizing for something he did not do.

“If the president tells me right now to resign, I will resign,” he said.