SA Human Rights Commission on Minister McKenzie‘s racist tweets: 'None of us should use the k-word!'

Clement Manyathela chats to Tshepo Madlingozi, Commissioner at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below:

"As long as the posts are there, the harm continues."

- Tshepo Madlingozi, Commissioner - South African Human Rights Commission

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched an investigation into Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie over resurfaced social media posts in which he allegedly used racial slurs and offensive language. 

"There are two sets of complaints; one has to do with the use of the k-word, the other has to do with alleged xenophobic statements." 

- Tshepo Madlingozi, Commissioner - South African Human Rights Commission

The Commission says there is prima facie evidence that his remarks violated the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA).

Madlingozi says an official allegation letter has been sent to McKenzie, giving him until 20 August to respond to their demands.

"The first demand that we made to the Minister is to delete those posts... from all the platforms. Secondly, we are asking the Minister to make an unconditional apology in the terms to be agreed with the Human Rights Commission. The third request is that the Minister make a written undertaking to refrain from using this language in future, to undergo sensitivity training and to pay damages." 

- Tshepo Madlingozi, Commissioner - South African Human Rights Commission

The SAHRC maintains that race does not exempt anyone from being held accountable under hate speech provisions.

"None of us can use the k-word in political speech, as hyperbole, as satire, as a joke; we are not allowed to do that. The court has said this is one of the most demeaning slurs that have been used to demean Black people in South Africa."

- Tshepo Madlingozi, Commissioner - South African Human Rights Commission

ALSO READ: President unlikely to fire McKenzie over k-word tweets: 'Ramaphosa has a history of putting politics first' - Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast, political analyst 

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.