DA communications director Richard Newton says the party will act swiftly against suspended DA MP Renaldo Gouws over his racist rant, after a disciplinary hearing is held.
The DA suspended Gouws on Thursday after an old video of him saying “kill the f**ing k**irs, kill all the f**ing n*ggers” resurfaced online.
Newton, in an interview with Newzroom Afrika, said: “The federal legal commission is being constituted for the hearing, and Gouws will have an opportunity to state his case.
“The date for his hearing will be set as soon as we get the panel together and begin this process,” he said.
“We want to deal with this as swiftly as we can, but there are processes that need to be followed.”
Newton said the party was shocked when the videos surfaced.
“We have distanced ourselves completely from these comments. We don’t feel that this is a representation of the DA in any formal fashion, which is why we take the strongest action possible in these circumstances.”
Newton said it did not matter that Gouws’ racial videos were made when he was a student.
“However long ago these videos were taken, it is not an excuse. What he said was absolutely shocking and cannot be condoned by the DA or any other person in South Africa,” he said.
The DA has come under fire for its lack of background checks on employees after Gouws’ racial videos.
Former DA MPL Mbali Ntuli said the party did not conduct background checks.
“I can’t speak for all parties, but the DA does ask for police clearance certificates and has a very long, onerous interview and testing process. I think it tests only for certain things and overlooks others, but there’s no background check per se, which is why it currently has MPs that have lied about plagiarism and has had some representatives that have lied about their qualifications,” she said.
“I think it has been difficult in the past, perhaps, to vet thousands of people, but it’s something to at least consider with your final list [of MPs] meant to go to parliament.”
WATCH | ‘We have distanced ourselves’: DA’s Richard Newton on MP Renaldo Gouws’ racist rant
Image: Eugene Coetzee
DA communications director Richard Newton says the party will act swiftly against suspended DA MP Renaldo Gouws over his racist rant, after a disciplinary hearing is held.
The DA suspended Gouws on Thursday after an old video of him saying “kill the f**ing k**irs, kill all the f**ing n*ggers” resurfaced online.
Newton, in an interview with Newzroom Afrika, said: “The federal legal commission is being constituted for the hearing, and Gouws will have an opportunity to state his case.
“The date for his hearing will be set as soon as we get the panel together and begin this process,” he said.
“We want to deal with this as swiftly as we can, but there are processes that need to be followed.”
Newton said the party was shocked when the videos surfaced.
“We have distanced ourselves completely from these comments. We don’t feel that this is a representation of the DA in any formal fashion, which is why we take the strongest action possible in these circumstances.”
Newton said it did not matter that Gouws’ racial videos were made when he was a student.
“However long ago these videos were taken, it is not an excuse. What he said was absolutely shocking and cannot be condoned by the DA or any other person in South Africa,” he said.
The DA has come under fire for its lack of background checks on employees after Gouws’ racial videos.
Former DA MPL Mbali Ntuli said the party did not conduct background checks.
“I can’t speak for all parties, but the DA does ask for police clearance certificates and has a very long, onerous interview and testing process. I think it tests only for certain things and overlooks others, but there’s no background check per se, which is why it currently has MPs that have lied about plagiarism and has had some representatives that have lied about their qualifications,” she said.
“I think it has been difficult in the past, perhaps, to vet thousands of people, but it’s something to at least consider with your final list [of MPs] meant to go to parliament.”
The DA's Richard Newton tells Michelle Craig the party intends to take the strongest possible action against suspended MP Renaldo Gouws for his alleged racist remarks. Tune into Newzroom Afrika, DStv channel 405, for more.
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