Cape Town — Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader, Gayton McKenzie, has backtracked on his comments over suspended Democratic Alliance (DA) MP, Renaldo Gouws.
Gouws was suspended by the DA after the party found that a video, where he referred to black people using the derogatory K-word and N-word, was in fact real, despite initial thoughts that the video was fake.
Gouws, who was sworn-in as an MP recently, had initially refuted all claims that he was a racist and he had apologised for his comments that he made years ago. He found an unlikely ally in Gayton McKenzie, someone who has been surrounded by controversy for his time spent in prison when he was younger.
McKenzie had made a few posts on his X account, and had asked people to remember that people can change
“I can’t stand this guy, he is not a good person in my opinion, he never let a day pass without bringing up my past during campaigning. He reminded people everyday that I once was a criminal but 2 wanna cancel or remove him frm parliament 4 something he said 16 years ago is wrong [sic]”. he said.
“People change, people become better, most of us live with regret for the things we said or did, some amongst us have been racist or said racist things maybe once many years ago, I don’t thing we should destroy the future of people for something that happened so many years ago,” he added.
However, in the aftermath of Gouws’ latest video, McKenzie backtracked on his original comments and issued an apology for showing an support to Gouws.
“I was wrong about @RenaldoGouws and would like to apologise, someone very close to him confirmed that he hates Black people still and send us his racist video. I apologise again for coming up for him. I should have kept my ideas of redemption to people that are truly remorseful,” the post read.
I can’t stand this guy, he is not a good person in my opinion, he never let a day pass without bringing up my past during campaigning.He reminded people everyday that I once was a criminal but 2 wanna cancel or remove him frm parliament 4 something he said 16 years ago is wrong pic.twitter.com/ZMDxzWTKxR
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) June 18, 2024
People change, people become better, most of us live with regret for the things we said or did, some amongst us have been racist or said racist things maybe once many years ago, I don’t thing we should destroy the future of people for something that happened so many years ago.
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) June 18, 2024
I was wrong about @RenaldoGouws and would like to apologise, someone very close to him confirmed that he hates Black people still and send us his racist video. I apologise again for coming up for him. I should have kept my ideas of redemption to people that are truly remorseful
— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) June 19, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
