• Now suspended DA Member of Parliament has stoked the ire of the South African Human Rights Commission.
• The SAHRC says it will pursue charges against Gouws in the Equality Court on allegations of hate speech and/or harassment.
• The commission says that his utterances carry even greater weight considering he is an MP.

A decade old video now widely regarded as legitimate, featuring now-suspended DA Member of Parliament Renaldo Gouws saying racial slurs has come back to haunt him this week.

In the video that was deleted but not before it was archived, Gouws attempts to liken the use slurs to the singing of Dubul’ ibhunu or “shoot the boer”. As many have pointed out the use of racial slurs was unnecessary, no matter the context in which they are used. The DA described the language as execrable and has suspended Gouws ahead of taking disciplinary action. The MP tried to suggest that the video was manipulated using artificial intelligence but nobody was buying that excuse.

Now the South African Human Rights Commission has said it will be pursuing charges against Gouws in the Equality Court.

“Following assessment of the content, the Commission has concluded that utterances allegedly made by Mr Gouws constitute hate speech and/or harassment as contemplated in terms of sections 10 and 11 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 (PEPUDA or Equality Act),” the SAHRC said in a statement.

The commission adds that Gouws’ actions carry even greater weight given that he is an MP and is expected to uphold and embody the principles of the Constitution.

“The Commission is empowered in terms of section 13(3)(b) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013 (SAHRC Act), to bring proceedings in a competent court or tribunal in its own name or on behalf of a person or a group or class of persons,” SAHRC added.

The legal troubles may not stop at the SAHRC though. Leader of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie, who previously voiced his support for Gouws, has said he will report Gouws to the Equality Court.

The Economic Freedom Fighters, who Gouws has criticised on numerous occasions have said that they will submit a formal complaint to the Speaker of the National Assembly to look into the ethical conduct of the MP.

The ANC meanwhile, which is working with the DA under the umbrella of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has not issued a statement regarding Gouws’ conduct.

The MP’s suspension comes after a petition was launched earlier this week protesting the appointment of Gouws.

“His public utterances, filled with threats and racially charged comments, are a direct affront to our democratic values and the harmony of our diverse society. South Africa, a nation that has been wracked by the pain of apartheid, has no place or tolerance for such divisive sentiments, particularly from a Parliamentary member who ought to be a promoter of unity,” the petition reads.

Gouws has yet to make a statement regarding these latest revelations.