It never rains but pours for alleged racist Renaldo Gouws.
This after his own party the Democratic Alliance (DA) suspended him regarding racist remarks he made on social media.
A video that Gouws made and posted in 2009 on social media resurfaced recently and resulted in a huge backlash against Gouws.
Gouws has admitted to posting the racist video wherein he used the F-word and K-word while calling for the killing of all black people in South Africa.
He said the following about the video: ” I made the video 16 years ago in 2009 when I was young and still a student.”
Irrespective of this seemingly lame apology, a petition was launched on social media to implore the Parliament of the country to disqualify Gouws as a member.
Gouws is a former DA Ward Councilor in Nelson Mandela Bay municipality and was recently sworn in as an MP of the party on 14 June this year after the general elections.
The social media petition against Gouws partly reads as follows:
” We implore the Parliament of South Africa to reconsider the membership of Renaldo Gouws and set a strong precedent against racism.”.
The DA released a statement yesterday wherein the party says it has established that the video was actually genuine and not fake as had been initially suspected and that Gouws would be facing disciplinary charges regarding the racial remarks contained in the said video.
“Renaldo Gouws has been suspended from all party activities in the Democratic Alliance with immediate effect,” said DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille in a statement released to the media on Thursday.
“This follows the resurfacing of a video in which Renaldo uses execrable and totally unacceptable language that is directly opposed to the value system of the DA,” said Zille.
“His case has been referred to the Federal Legal Commission of the party and if he wants to state his defence he will be able to do so there,” she said.
“The party will await the outcome of his disciplinary hearing,” said Zille.
On top of all this, reports have also emerged that the South African Human Rights Commission will also be taking steps against Gouws by taking him to the Equality Court.
Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) national spokesperson Jabu Rakwena released the following statement:
“Azapo’s stance is that we are not surprised at all as we have always maintained that the DA is a refuge for racists and white supremacists.”
Rakwena pointed out that there are many racists like Gouws in the DA and that Gouws was unfortunate to be exposed.
“Until such time that racism is made a criminal offence punishable by a prison sentence without a fine, South Africa will never get rid of racists,” said Rakwena.
(Laudium Atteridgeville Saulsville Civic Associatiions) chairperson Tshepo Mahlangu said the following:
“Renaldo Gouws is a true reflection of what DA is, because DA is a racist party, and nothing will ever change about it.”
He added that Gouws has learned from the best in terms of racism because racism is embedded in the DA.