Humour or Harm? Podcast Sparks National Outrage with Comments About Coloured Community

Legal action, public outrage and a promise to march: Has the line between comedy and cruelty finally been crossed?

A podcast episode meant to entertain has instead ignited a national conversation about race, respect and accountability in South Africa.

The Open Chats Podcast, hosted on Mzansi Wethu, is now at the centre of public scrutiny following remarks about the coloured community that many have slammed as deeply offensive. While the hosts insist it was all just “jokes,” their critics say the humour crossed a dangerous line and they’re not laughing.

These #OpenChatsPodcast guys deserved to be dragged to wherever for this “apology” alone. No mercy. pic.twitter.com/1ZIe17L5fs

— ΜċᎶεε 🇿🇦 ⚽ 🇵🇸 (@LaboGoon) August 7, 2025

“It’s About Dignity” Liam Jacobs Lays Charges

Liam Jacobs, a new face in the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and long-time activist for coloured communities, isn’t letting this one slide. After watching the episode in question, he went straight to a police station in Pretoria and opened a crimen injuria case against the podcast hosts.

“This isn’t about being too sensitive,” Jacobs said in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter). “It’s about dignity. Humour doesn’t give you a free pass to degrade a community.”

His move set off a wave of responses online, with many South Africans, especially within coloured communities, saying they’ve had enough of being the punchline.

PA Leader Gayton McKenzie Plans Protest March

Gayton McKenzie, the outspoken leader of the PA, didn’t mince his words either. In a fiery video statement, he condemned the podcast’s remarks and confirmed plans to march on the podcast’s offices.

“We will not allow our people to be mocked under the banner of entertainment,” McKenzie said. “This march isn’t just about coloured people, it’s for every South African who’s tired of being the butt of so-called jokes.”

McKenzie also hinted at additional legal and political action, vowing that the party would not let the issue be brushed under the rug.

@joburgetc 🎙️ Racism Isn’t “Just a Chat” SA Reacts HARD 💥 | Open Chats Hosts Face Legal Action! 🇿🇦✊ #gaytonmckenzie #openchatspodcast #justice #tiktoknews #greenscreen ♬ original sound – joburgetc

Podcast Team Responds: “You Guys Are Too Sensitive”

Facing mounting backlash, the podcast hosts tried to dial down the flames. But their apology, if you can call it that,  may have poured petrol on the fire.

In a follow-up video posted to Threads, the hosts defended their comments with laughter and sarcasm.

“I said coloured people chow each other. You can tell that I’m joking,” said one host.
“You guys say out-of-pocket things all the time. It was also a joke,” added another.
A third host chimed in: “After watching Kings of Joburg, I’m scared of coloureds.”

These remarks only escalated public anger, with many users calling out the lack of remorse and casual racism.

The Joke That Lit the Match

One particular comment made during the podcast struck a nerve.

“When I deal with coloured girls, she must take the colouredness and leave it outside,” one host said, referring to dating preferences. He added, “They’re too much. Everything is war and hardcore.”

The line was widely circulated across TikTok, X, and Facebook, sparking fury. Influencers, cultural commentators, and everyday South Africans weighed in and most didn’t hold back.

“This isn’t banter. It’s violence disguised as humour,” wrote one user.
“That ‘colouredness’ you mock? That’s culture, resilience, history,” said another.

The conversation tapped into a long-standing frustration in coloured communities, about not being taken seriously, about being reduced to stereotypes, and about being overlooked in national narratives.

Comedy, Accountability, and the Legal Line

While South Africa’s Constitution protects free speech, it does not protect hate speech and crimen injuria, the charge Jacobs filed, specifically addresses the impairment of dignity.

Legal experts note that this case could be groundbreaking. With the podcast being publicly broadcast and now virally shared online, the legal system may soon need to clarify where the line is drawn between satire and slander.

A Larger Cultural Reckoning

This is bigger than one podcast. In South Africa’s post-apartheid reality, the balance between freedom of expression and respect for deeply rooted trauma is a delicate one.

Coloured communities, in particular, have long spoken out about being misrepresented, ridiculed, or left out of broader race conversations. This podcast incident has reopened those wounds, but it’s also prompted something powerful: a demand for change.

What Happens Next?

The Patriotic Alliance is pushing forward with plans for a march to the SABC offices, where the podcast is recorded. McKenzie has said the protest date will be announced shortly, alongside potential civil proceedings.

So far, the podcast platform itself, Mzansi Wethu has not commented on the controversy or on whether any action will be taken against the hosts.

This moment isn’t just about a podcast episode gone wrong. It’s about how South Africans talk about each other, who gets to make jokes, and at whose expense.

As Jacobs said, “It’s not about being sensitive. It’s about dignity.”

And in today’s South Africa, dignity is not up for debate.

{Source: The Citizen}

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