Thursday, 07 August 2025.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) strongly condemns the despicable and racist stereotyping of Coloured people in the recent “Open Chats” podcast circulating on social media platforms, in which the hosts shamelessly portray Coloured communities as people who “have sex with their siblings” and label them as “crazy.”

This vile, offensive, and dehumanising rhetoric is not only factually baseless but deeply damaging and rooted in anti-Coloured racism that continues to marginalise and ridicule an entire community. It reinforces dangerous narratives that undermine the dignity, intelligence, and cultural identity of Coloured South Africans, many of whom already suffer systemic exclusion and socio-economic neglect.

These disgraceful statements reflect the worst kind of ignorance and bigotry and have no place in a democratic society. They perpetuate harmful divisions and do nothing but insult a proud, diverse, and resilient community that has contributed immensely to South Africa’s liberation, identity, and progress.

The EFF has noted that the hosts of the podcast in question have issued a written apology for their offensive remarks about the Coloured community. However, we are disappointed by the manner in which they have subsequently made light of their utterances in a follow-up episode, revealing a lack of sincere remorse and an absence of genuine reflection on the harm caused. This insincerity cannot go unchallenged.

We therefore call for the individuals involved to undergo mandatory race sensitivity and anti-discrimination training to address their apparent ignorance and to begin a meaningful process of accountability. Furthermore, the EFF calls for all platforms hosting the offensive content to take immediate steps to remove it. We additionally urge the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the matter as a potential violation of human dignity and as hate speech.

The EFF has become increasingly concerned about the proliferation of bigotry, racism, and harmful stereotypes on podcast platforms, many of which operate with little to no regulatory oversight. As a result, the EFF will actively pursue the development and implementation of regulatory mechanisms that ensure accountability within this growing medium, including sanctions for those who disseminate hateful or discriminatory speech under the guise of entertainment or “free speech.”

The Coloured community, like all communities in South Africa, deserves to be treated with respect and must never be reduced to crude, degrading stereotypes. The EFF stands with the Coloured people and condemns these disgusting remarks with the contempt they deserve.

ISSUED BY ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS

Sinawo Thambo (National Spokesperson) 072 629 7422

Thembi Msane (National Spokesperson) 061 467 8169

Andiswa Madikazi (Parliament Media Liason) 069 516 4924

Thato Lebyane (Media Inquiries) 078 563 1581