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Former DA MP Renaldo Gouws has issued a public apology for his 2010 racist video after settling with the SAHRC.
Democratic Alliance MP Renaldo Gouws. Picture: X/@Am_Blujay
Former Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Renaldo Gouws has publicly apologised for his 2010 video, which contained racially offensive and harmful language directed towards black South Africans.
Gouws and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) have reached a settlement in the complaint the commission lodged against the YouTuber-turned-politician before the Equality Court.
The complaint was sparked by a video from March 2010 that resurfaced shortly after he was sworn in as an MP in 2024, where the controversial commentator is heard using multiple racial slurs.
Gouws and SAHRC reach settlement
The commission and Gouws announced on Friday that they had reached a settlement, resulting in the SAHRC withdrawing its hate speech case against him. As part of the agreement, Gouws is required to issue a full and unconditional public apology on video.
Watch Gouws’ apology video here:
In the video, the Gouws read out the five-page apology. In the description, he said all the money raised from the video will be donated to the Coega Door of Hope in Nelson Mandela Bay.
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Gouws acknowledged that it was unacceptable for him to have used violent language while criticising Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema for singing “Kill the Boer”.
He acknowledged that the racial slurs he employed were “unutterable and racist”.
‘I am sorry for the pain, anger and trauma’
“To all South Africans, especially black South Africans and black people globally – I am sorry. I am sorry for the pain, anger and trauma my words have caused. I am sorry for trying to justify, minimise and sanitise them,” he said.
“I know that this apology does not erase what I said or did, but it is a step I must take to acknowledge the effect of my actions and begin to account for them.”
Gouws also stated that while he still believes affirmative action and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) require improvement, he regrets and apologised for having previously equated them with apartheid.
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He also listed various charitable activities he undertook in the 15 years since the video was published, including raising funds for orphanages and assisting underprivileged communities.
SAHRC confirmed that the matter was settled through its alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process and welcomed Gouws’ apology.
“The commission welcomes Mr Gouws’ acknowledgement of the impact of his past conduct and reiterates that the right to freedom of expression must be exercised in a manner that respects the dignity and equality of all people,” SAHRC said in a statement.
Diversity sensitisation sessions
It added that Gouws will participate in two sessions convened by the SAHRC, which will consist of workshops, public education and/or awareness-raising activities aligned with the commission’s mandate, as well as attending a diversity sensitisation session.
The DA Federal Executive suspended Gouws with immediate effect in June last year after the video, which was removed from YouTube in 2013, resurfaced in an IOL article, triggering national outrage.
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In his apology, Gouws maintained that the article misrepresented the context of his words, but he admitted that he was defiant and dismissive of the public outrage, which diluted his initial apology.
The commentator also retracted his previous accusations against the SAHRC and acknowledged their vital role in combating racial hostility.
Gouws hopes to close this chapter
“In the past year, I have recently been made aware that other social media users vilify and dox specific SAHRC officials. I condemn such actions to all South Africans, especially black South Africans and black people,” he said.
Gouws concluded that he hopes the settlement and his apology will close this chapter of his life and allow for personal and national healing.
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