DStv Drops Open Chats Podcast After Backlash Over Racist Remarks

The Open Chats Podcast has officially been dropped by DStv following massive public outrage over derogatory remarks made about the coloured community in a recent episode.

The controversy erupted after a viral clip from the show surfaced online, showing the hosts making deeply offensive and racist comments about South Africa’s coloured community. In the clip, the podcasters claimed that coloured families engage in incest and labelled the community “crazy.” These shocking and hurtful remarks quickly spread across social media, sparking national outrage.

Condemnation poured in from all corners of society — political leaders, civil rights organisations, and ordinary citizens, with many calling for strong legal action against the hosts. Among the loudest voices was Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who wasted no time in responding.

In a powerful statement shared on his social media, McKenzie described the episode as “blatant racism” and made it clear that justice would be pursued.

“I want a report today of how we are going to deal with those people who said coloureds are crazy,” McKenzie declared. “All steps are going to be taken; we’re going after them in their capacity legally.”

The minister also addressed what he called a “double standard” in South Africa’s handling of racial issues, noting that if such remarks had been made about another race, the reaction would have been even more severe.

“If coloured people made those remarks about any other race group, it would be front-page news. We must never allow people to become that comfortable with disrespecting us,” he said.

Reported by TshisaLIVE, MultiChoice spokesperson Suzaan Keyter confirmed that the Open Chats Podcast’s contract with DStv officially ended on July 25. She emphasised that the platform remains committed to maintaining quality and content standards.

“MultiChoice is aware of recent comments made on the Open Chats Podcast,” Keyter told TshisaLIVE. “The [derogatory] episode was not aired on our platform. MultiChoice adheres to stringent quality control processes and does not promote any discriminatory content.”