“Kenny Kunene Claps Back: ‘Gayton McKenzie Will Never Be a Racist’
Businessman and politician Kenny Kunene has jumped to the defence of Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie, who is under fire on social media over resurfaced posts containing the K-word.
In a fiery X (formerly Twitter) post, Kunene dismissed the racism allegations outright, declaring:
“This man @GaytonMcK has never been, is not and will never be a racist. His mother is a South Sotho woman from Batho location in Mangaung and his father is coloured. I know him better than all of you. Even in prison he brought a team together for Expose made up of Black, White, Indian and Coloured inmates. Your campaign Tony Irrelevant Yengeni and your cronies will never succeed. We see you. @OnsBaizaNie”
Kunene’s comments come as #GaytonMustGo trends on X, with many users calling for the minister’s resignation. The outrage stems from old posts in which McKenzie allegedly used the K-word, sparking a storm of criticism and demands for President Cyril Ramaphosa to take action.
The Backstory
McKenzie has been one of the loudest voices condemning the hosts of the Open Chats Podcast, who recently claimed that coloured people practice incest and are “mentally deranged.” The podcast has since issued two public apologies, and McKenzie’s Patriotic Alliance opened a crimen injuria case, now being investigated by the SA Human Rights Commission.
But the minister’s own past words have now come under the spotlight. Critics argue that his historical posts contradict his current stance on racial unity, with some pointing to his use of the K-word as evidence.
Former ATM leader Vuyolwethu Zungula even tagged the President directly, tweeting:
“Mr President, you appointed a minister who has publicly uttered deeply offensive and despicable words against black people. Is this really the vision of unity and inclusivity that the GNU stands for? We demand action now!”
Kenny vs. Black Twitter
Kunene’s defence paints McKenzie as a man committed to racial inclusivity, pointing to his diverse prison exposé team and his mixed heritage. He also didn’t hold back on his political opponents, taking a swipe at ANC veteran Tony Yengeni.
While some supporters have echoed Kunene’s sentiments, others on Black Twitter remain unconvinced, saying McKenzie must be held to the same standards as those he criticises.
With neither McKenzie nor the Presidency issuing a formal statement yet, the battle between his defenders and detractors is only heating up online — and Kenny’s bold intervention just threw more fuel onto the fire.
