A group of young South African podcasters are facing backlash, even from political figures, following offensive racial commentary on their platform.  

In a video of the award-winning Open Chats Podcast, doing the rounds on social media, two young men and women describe coloured people as “crazy”, and that “coloured people” engage in incestuous relations with relatives. The episode has since been deleted, but below is a snippet of some of what was said:  

The podcast clip, which gained traction on social media, has triggered widespread condemnation. The DA’s Ivan Meyer said this is not harmless pop culture commentary, but rather an attempt to reduce the lived realities of South Africans to demeaning stereotypes for the sake of popularity. Meyer said the party will be taking further action. 

“The DA has reported this matter to the South African Human Rights Commission. Hate speech, harmful racial stereotyping, and the public degradation of any group in our society cannot be tolerated,” said Meyer. 

Cape Town councillor, Angus McKenzie, echoed these sentiments, calling the remarks “shocking, derogatory, and racist.” 

“Coloured people are not second-class citizens. We are nation builders, community leaders, hard workers, and people of value and dignity.” 

Patriotic Alliance leader, Gayton Mckenzie, says it’s become too easy in the current age to insult coloured people in South Africa. 

The Patriotic Alliance’s Liam Jacobs has since filed criminal charges against Open Chat Podcast hosts Mthokozisi Methula and Sinothando Kama.

Meanwhile, the podcasters have since apologised.

“An apology alone does not erase the harm caused nor absolve the perpetrators from accountability,” said Meyer.