The Democratic Alliance (DA) has found itself in hot water with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) over the appointment of MP Renaldo Gouws, who is facing backlash due to a resurfaced video from 16 years ago that is being labeled as racist.
The DA has confirmed that the video, in which Gouws uses execrable language, is indeed genuine and not a fake as initially suspected.
In response to the outrage expressed by the EFF, the DA Director of Communication,Richard Newton confirmed on Thursday the party’s Federal Executive has suspended Gouws with immediate effect while he faces disciplinary charges before the Party’s Federal Legal Commission.
The EFF has accused the DA of providing a platform for racists like Gouws, who now have a voice in the highest levels of leadership and policy-making.
A petition launched on Monday to revoke Gouws’ membership has garnered nearly 40,000 signatures.
Gouws, a former Nelson Mandela Bay ward councillor, posted the controversial video on YouTube in 2009, expressing his views on reverse apartheid and discrimination against white South Africans.
While Gouws has stated that he has addressed the sentiments in the video on multiple occasions, the EFF believes that the real issue lies in removing the DA as representative of the people.
The party claims that the DA legitimizes bigoted views and promotes colonialism and apartheid.
The DA spokesperson confirmed that they are handling the situation internally, but the EFF continues to demand the removal of Gouws from Parliament.
The controversy surrounding Gouws has reignited the debate on racism and discrimination in South Africa, and it remains to be seen how the DA will address the fallout from this latest scandal.
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