A petition calling for the removal of DA MP Renaldo Gouws from parliament has amassed over 20,000 signatures after a racially insensitive video he shared 15 years ago resurfaced. The video, which gained attention on Youth Day, features Gouws making controversial remarks about black South Africans.
In the video, Gouws suggested that if Africa “disappeared off the face of the earth, no-one would f***** notice.” This comment has ignited a public outcry, leading to demands for his ouster from the National Assembly, where he was recently sworn in as a Nelson Mandela Bay DA councillor.
The petition on Change.org, initiated by Kimberly Jones, urges parliament to reconsider Gouws’ position, arguing that his “racist remarks” could hinder national progress and negatively influence others. The petition emphasizes the need for MPs to uphold principles of respect, understanding, and equality in a diverse democracy.
“The recent videos of Gouws circulating on social media, where he spews racial remarks against people of colour, are a stark reminder of how quickly we can regress if such behaviour is left unchecked. To enable successful governance in a diverse democratic society, it is essential that all MPs adhere to principles of respect, understanding, and equality. The harmful and divisive discourse propagated by Gouws not only stymies our progress but can potentially inspire others in the wrong direction,” the petition states.
TimesLIVE reported on the video in 2020, noting that Gouws claimed his remarks were a reaction to EFF leader Julius Malema’s singing of “Kill the Boer.” Gouws has since expressed regret for his “colourful language,” acknowledging that debate is a better form of expression than angry outbursts.
In a now-deleted post on X, Gouws pointed out the irony that Malema, who sang “Kill the Boer,” has returned to parliament, while Gouws faces backlash for his response from 16 years ago. He defended his past remarks, attributing his frustration to the political climate at the time.
“Yet with all of this being said, for some reason, I am the problem for raising these uncomfortable truths 16 years ago. Yes, I regret the colourful language used, but I suppose being 25 years old at the time and hearing the president and his youth leader, at the time, singing songs about killing me would make any reasonable person upset,” Gouws wrote. “Anyway, have a lovely public holiday and please drink a panado for the chest pains if a video from 16 years ago offended you.”
