Cape Town – A number of South African performers and creatives have publicly condemned a recent xenophobic outburst by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, uniting under the rallying cry “Not in Our Name”.
The backlash follows McKenzie’s inflammatory remarks targeting foreign nationals employed at Johannesburg’s Market Theatre, including two Zimbabwean staff members.
According to IOL, in a widely criticised tirade, the minister demanded that organisations prioritise hiring South Africans over “foreigners” and issued a three-week ultimatum for the removal of foreign employees.
McKenzie said, “some of you here have the audacity to hire foreigners instead of South Africans.”
“I don’t care how you used to do it. But for as long as I am the minister, there will be no foreigner that will work in an entity while a South African can do the same thing.”
His comments have been slammed as a dangerous escalation amid growing xenophobic tensions.
🎙️ SA artists unite: “Not in Our Name.”
🚫 Hate speech isn’t culture.
Minister McKenzie’s words spark backlash from actors, comedians & creatives.#NotInOurName #StopXenophobia #KAAX #HumanRights #NoToXenophobia pic.twitter.com/scPdU0gI96— Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia KAAX (@KopanangAfrica) June 26, 2025
Actress Thandi Sebe issued a powerful statement timed with the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, urging leaders to honour the country’s founding values, IOL reported.
She denounced McKenzie’s “hateful vitriol,” declaring firmly: “Not in Our Name.”
Her message was echoed by a chorus of voices in the arts community, including Rafeeqah Galant, Marc Lottering, Hakeem Kae‑Kazim, Mike van Graan, Rea Rangaka and Mihlali Kope, who jointly called for accountability and unity.
McKenzie had already drawn criticism in a previous Africa Report interview, where he spoke of removing “illegal foreigners” and cracking down on anti-government charities — remarks that were swiftly rebuked by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and other civil society organisations.
The artists’ campaign stands out not only for its scale but also for its commitment to constitutional principles. At a time when South Africa is confronting rising xenophobic violence and deepening social divisions, voices from the creative sector are framing their protest as both a moral and patriotic stand — insisting that exclusionary policies have no place in a democratic society.
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
