A viral clip from the Open Chats Podcast has ignited widespread condemnation from the DA and the Patriotic Alliance (PA) for its offensive remarks targeting the Coloured community.
The episode, labelled hate speech, sparked calls for accountability and legal action after it first gained popularity on TikTok and was taken down from the podcast’s platforms.
In the controversial clip, podcast hosts discussed what they claimed was a “normal” lifestyle within the Coloured community, making inflammatory statements.
“The Coloureds apparently know each other, chief. They show each other those ones,” one host, Mthokozisi Mathebula, says in the podcast.
Another host, Sinothando Kama, alleges that Coloured people are “crazy” and have “normalised incest”.
DA escalates the matter
The comments have been widely criticised as derogatory and racially inflammatory, with the DA describing the podcast’s content as deeply offensive and race-baiting.
In a statement, the DA said such content reduces South Africans to cheap stereotypes for online clout, fans division, and undermines constitutional values of equality and respect.
“This is not humour or harmless commentary; it’s a direct attack on the dignity of a community,” the DA said in a statement.
The party said it has escalated the matter by lodging a formal complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission, accusing the podcast of promoting hate speech and harmful racial stereotyping.
“This type of public degradation is unacceptable in our society. We cannot allow the normalisation of content that violates the dignity of any group,” reads the statement.
PA wants removal of the episode
The PA’s leader and Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, joined in, voicing his indignation and promising to act.
“You are going to learn; this is where we draw the line. We are opening a criminal case against them, and we will prepare a referral to the Equality Court,” McKenzie stated.
He insisted on knowing where the podcast was recorded.
“We want to know where they record because we want to see what makes them so comfortable. I am going to find out who the landlord is from where they are renting.”
The PA, through its legal representative Eugene Botha of E Botha and Associates, issued a letter to the podcast demanding the episode’s removal within 14 days, a public apology to the Coloured community, sensitivity training on racial dignity and apartheid stereotypes, and the permanent deletion of the episode from platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
“Non-compliance will lead to criminal prosecutions, interdicts, damages, and costs,” warns the letter.
Podcasters apologise publicly
In response, the podcasters apologised publicly through their attorneys: “We refer to the racist, sexist, unfortunate, irresponsible, reckless, and un-African statements that were made about the Coloured community of South Africa by the Open Chats Podcast, which aired two weeks ago.
“Our clients hereby deeply apologise for the pain and hurt that they have caused to the Coloured community of South Africa.
“Our clients acknowledge unreservedly that the utterances made were inappropriate, sexist, racist, unfortunate, irresponsible, reckless, reminiscent of Apartheid and un-African [contrary to the spirit of ubuntu], and also tantamount to hate speech.
“Our clients have advised that they have removed the episode.”
