Cape Town – A video has surfaced showing Stellenbosch municipality’s human resources manager, Alexander Kannemeyer, advocating for the exclusion of white men from recruitment processes and suggesting that those hired should be made to feel uncomfortable until they resign.
In the recording, Kannemeyer is heard telling colleagues that repeatedly appointing white males undermines transformation and signals to internal staff that they lack competence.
“I have a concern that we also have always had whites in charge, still in our technical services and water services.
“I have a problem with that because the message we’re sending out, especially to internal staff, is that they don’t have the capability and the competency for that,” Kannemeyer said.
He added that the municipality should prioritise candidates from other demographics, even if white men score highest in interviews.
🚨WATCH: In South Africa, Alexander Kannemeyer, who has been the Human Resources manager for Stellenbosch Municipality, was caught on video suggesting making life DIFFICULT for WHITE employees until they RESIGN in order to replace them with black employees.
Imagine suggesting… pic.twitter.com/5lvE0CyDzH
— 𝖱𝖤𝖢𝖮𝖭𝟣 ®✞ (@Recon1_ZA) September 2, 2025
“I cannot support the fact that we always appoint the best scoring candidate, and it is always the white male.
“I am saying we make life difficult for the person who came in, the person resigns, and afterwards we get what we want.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA)-run municipality confirmed it is probing the matter.
Stellenbosch mayor Jeremy Fasser said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the video dates back to early 2023, before his tenure, and described its contents as “a cause for significant concern”.
“I wish to state that these events occurred in early 2023, before I became mayor. I am currently investigating the matter and will issue a further statement when this is completed.
“At face value, the video is a cause for significant concern, and we will get to the heart of the matter and take appropriate further action as warranted,” said Fasser.
The video’s emergence coincides with the implementation of the Department of Employment and Labour’s new employment equity regulations, which set demographic targets across 18 sectors of the economy, with penalties for non-compliance.
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Compiled Betha Madhomu
