Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, is under intense scrutiny after reports surfaced of his use of racially offensive language. Social media posts dating back to 2013 containing apartheid-era racial slurs were recently resurfaced. In response, ActionSA has lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission, signaling potential further action in the Equality Court under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act.
This incident comes on the heels of earlier controversies in March 2025, when job advertisements from McKenzie’s department appeared to exclude Black African applicants, offering preference only to Coloureds, Indians, and Whites. The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) condemned the postings as “crudely racist” and demanded McKenzie’s dismissal or retraction within a seven-day window—or face legal and protest action.
McKenzie defended the ads on social media, arguing they were aimed at “fixing” historical imbalances in representation. He insisted, “I am for all races… I want all races to be represented in the Department that I lead, go boil somewhere else.”
