By: Natasha Archary

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has started proceedings to take suspended DA MP, Renaldo Gouws to the Equality Court over racial slurs that were made in his past social media posts.
On Thursday, 20 June Gouws was suspended following an old video resurfacing of him repeating the words “Kill all the k****rs.”
The videos were initially published on his YouTube channel in March 2010, and were later archived but have since resurfaced.
Since the old videos of Gouw using the derogatory language with racial slurs and undertones, a petition to have Gouws removed as a member of Parliament gained momentum online.
The SAHRC said a number of South Africans tagged the Commission in the posts seeking intervention and an urgent response to the matter.
“Subsequently, the Commission was tagged by aggrieved citizens on social media seeking that it intervenes in this matter. Following assessment of the content, the Commission has concluded that utterances allegedly made by Mr Gouws constitute hate speech and/or harassment as contemplated in terms of sections 10 and 11 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 (PEPUDA or Equality Act).
The Commission is empowered in terms of section 13(3)(b) of the South African Human Rights Commission Act 40 of 2013 (SAHRC Act), to bring proceedings in a competent court or tribunal in its own name or on behalf of a person or a group or class of persons.
Given Mr Gouw’s position as a Member of Parliament, his alleged actions carry even greater weight and responsibility, as he is expected to uphold and embody the principles enshrined in the Constitution, including human dignity, equality, and non-discrimination.”
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