By: Pamella Majola
Parliament’s Ethics Committee has decided not to investigate Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie over controversial tweets in which he used the K-word, stating that the posts were made before he became a Member of Parliament.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) had lodged a complaint, but Parliament ruled that the matter falls outside the scope of the Code of Conduct, which only applies to actions committed during a member’s term in office.
Meanwhile, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is still considering a separate complaint submitted by ActionSA. The Commission has yet to make a final decision on whether to pursue the matter further.
McKenzie has denied being racist and described the allegations as part of a political campaign against him. However, he acknowledged that the tweets were insensitive and said he regrets having posted them.
