Charles Esther
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has claimed that several old tweets containing the K-word were artificially generated.
He insists that during the period in question, he used a different X account handle, and the posts now being circulated were not authored by him.
Minister Rejects Racism Allegations
Speaking during a Facebook Live session on Sunday, 10 August, McKenzie denied publishing racist remarks from his account.
He warned that he would not step down from his position, even under pressure.
Claims of AI-Generated Content
McKenzie alleged that individuals are fabricating tweets with the help of artificial intelligence and falsely attributing them to him.
The disputed tweets remain visible on his official X timeline.
Grok AI Disputes McKenzie’s Version
When questioned by social media users, Grok — Elon Musk’s AI chatbot — stated that the posts were authentic.
It cited direct X searches and media archives confirming the tweets were from 2011 to 2017 and not AI-generated.
McKenzie Denies Racist Intent
The Patriotic Alliance leader argued that his life’s work has been about uniting black and coloured communities.
He emphasised that he “can never be guilty of racism” given his personal background and activism.
Admission of Past Offensive Remarks
McKenzie acknowledged that he had posted “insensitive, stupid, and hurtful” content over a decade ago.
He described himself at the time as a “troll” and expressed regret, saying he now cringes at those posts.
Willing to Face Investigation
The Minister committed to undergoing an investigation into the matter.
He maintains that the most serious allegations — including the K-word posts — are fabricated.
