Pressure is mounting on Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie to resign following the resurfacing of a series of historic tweets containing derogatory and racially offensive remarks about black South Africans.

McKenzie, who has been under fire since the posts began circulating widely over the weekend, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday morning in an attempt to explain himself and apologise.

“I can never be guilty of racism, try some other take down but never racism. I did tweet some insensitive, stupid and hurtful things a decade or two ago, I was a troll & stupid. I cringe when seeing them and I am truly sorry for that. I shall subject myself to the investigation,” McKenzie wrote in a tweet viewed nearly 100 000 times.

In a follow-up thread, McKenzie insisted he has always fought against racial discrimination, especially the marginalisation of coloured people.

“I’m the son of a black woman, I have children with a black woman, I fought my whole life for the same treatment between black and coloured people because we fought the same struggle,” he posted, adding that coloured South Africans “don’t enjoy the same privileges as black people” despite their shared history of oppression.

However, critics were unmoved. Several political parties, civil society groups, and ordinary South Africans have labelled his apology inadequate, with some accusing him of deleting incriminating tweets and blaming AI manipulation during a Sunday night livestream.

Opposition Demands Action

African Transformation Movement (ATM) parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula confirmed his party had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Parliament, and the Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests, calling for McKenzie’s removal.

“Resurfaced tweets authored by the Minister contain racially derogatory slurs directed at black South Africans, language that is both indefensible and deeply corrosive to the principles upon which our democracy is built,” Zungula said.

He argued that as a Cabinet member, McKenzie carries constitutional and ethical obligations far beyond those of private citizens.

“Being a member of the coloured community does not exempt him from accountability, nor does it grant him licence to demean and target black people. The question must be asked: Who does Minister McKenzie represent?” Zungula said.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also weighed in, with spokesperson Sinawo Thambo describing McKenzie’s historic remarks as “a long history of hateful, racist, and dehumanising expressions.”

“These are not minor lapses or slips of the tongue; they are deliberate, repeated, and deeply harmful expressions of anti-Black prejudice. Leaving him in office sends the message that the government condones such racism,” Thambo said.

ActionSA’s Alan Beesley MP confirmed his party has reported McKenzie to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and is prepared to escalate the matter to the Equality Court.

“Racism and the dehumanisation of any person have no place in South Africa. We will follow the prescribed process but are ready to act independently if necessary,” Beesley said.

Social Media Backlash

Many of the resurfaced tweets have been reposted on X with outrage, some quoting McKenzie’s use of the apartheid-era slur “kaffir,” as well as derogatory references to black South Africans as “ape looking women” and “better kaffirs” in the context of economic success.

One viral post read:
“Imagine the Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture – the very person meant to unite us – once said this about black people. This is beyond offensive, it’s disqualifying.”

Another user wrote:
“If this was a white politician, he’d be gone by now. Accountability must be the same for everyone.”

Civil Society: “He must resign”

Terry Oakley-Smith, founder of diversity consultancy Diversi-T, told Newzroom Afrika that McKenzie’s position was untenable.

“He must resign – not step aside, not take special leave on full pay. Resign and start again. Whatever someone said years ago should be part of the vetting process before they are appointed as ministers,” Oakley-Smith said.

PA’s Troubled Month

The controversy comes just weeks after PA deputy president Kenny Kunene was suspended following his presence at the home of a suspect in the murder of popular DJ Sumbody. The party has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons, with critics questioning its leadership culture.

Despite McKenzie’s insistence that he will cooperate with any investigation, political observers warn that the matter could erode public trust in government’s commitment to non-racialism.

The Presidency has not yet issued a formal statement in response to the opposition’s letters, but pressure is building for Ramaphosa to act decisively.

As one X user put it bluntly:
“You can’t preach unity from a podium if your history is littered with words that divide.”