The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has initiated an investigation into statements made by Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie between 2011 and 2017, following the resurfacing of racially offensive posts using the apartheid-era “K-word” slur. ActionSA lodged a formal complaint, stating that such language demeans and dehumanizes Black South Africans and undermines the dignity enshrined in the constitution.
The controversy intensified after ActionSA, supported by the African Transformation Movement (ATM), escalated the matter to both the SAHRC and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests. However, Parliament’s Ethics Committee declined to commence an inquiry, noting that McKenzie’s remarks occurred before he became a Member of Parliament in June 2024—placing them outside the committee’s jurisdiction.
Political pressure continues to mount. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have called for McKenzie’s immediate removal and a public apology, while ActionSA has indicated its readiness to pursue the matter further in the Equality Court if necessary. ATM’s complaint criticised the divisive content of the posts and questioned McKenzie’s credibility as a minister expected to uphold the country’s ethical foundations.
In response, McKenzie has defended himself vigorously. He dismissed the allegations as part of a politically motivated smear campaign, insisted he has “never called anyone the K-word,” and labelled the public uproar as “hilarious,” claiming critics are unable to produce “one racist thing I ever said.” Nevertheless, he conceded that he had once posted “insensitive, stupid and hurtful” comments and apologised for them while committing to cooperation with the SAHRC probe.
Adding to the controversy, McKenzie recently asserted that some of the offending posts were generated by AI—an explanation disputed by the AI tool Grok, which confirmed that these tweets were authentic and traceable via media and platform searches.
As this investigation unfolds, questions persist about accountability for public figures and the enduring legacy of harmful language in post-apartheid South Africa.