A racist video circulating on social media has sparked outrage after a man was heard celebrating a beach he claimed was largely “free of black people”.
The video was originally posted on TikTok by the account @thebat1969, which has since been set to private. Despite this, the footage has continued to circulate widely on Facebook and X, drawing condemnation from South Africans across the political and social spectrum.
Video filmed at KwaZulu-Natal beach
The clip appears to have been filmed at Southport Beach in KwaZulu-Natal, although this has not been independently confirmed.
In the video, beachgoers can be seen enjoying a sunny day, while the unidentified man speaks in Afrikaans, making repeated racist remarks about the racial makeup of the crowd.
“Lovely here at Southport beach, and what’s nice is it’s only white people. Here and there is a ‘previously disadvantaged’, but it’s mostly whites,” he says.
He continues by making offensive generalisations, suggesting that the beach is orderly and clean because it is frequented mainly by white people.
Offensive and dehumanising remarks
In the video, the man goes on to contrast white beachgoers with black South Africans in deeply derogatory terms, claiming that black people behave poorly in public spaces.
Among the comments made, he alleges that:
White people are more organised and well-behaved
Black people litter and defecate on beaches
Black beachgoers arrive with cooking equipment and toilet paper
He concludes by stating that it is “nice to be white” and repeats his claim that white people “behave themselves”.
The remarks have been widely described as dehumanising, racist, and harmful, reinforcing long-standing stereotypes rooted in South Africa’s apartheid history.
Social media reaction and legal implications
Although the @thebat1969 TikTok account has gone private, the video continues to circulate online. The exact date of posting has not been confirmed, but it appears to have been uploaded around December 30 or 31, 2025.
The video has reignited discussions about:
Racism and hate speech on social media
The responsibility of platforms like TikTok to moderate harmful content
Whether such remarks meet the threshold for prosecution under South Africa’s Equality Act and hate speech laws
South Africa’s Constitution guarantees equality and dignity for all citizens, and racist speech can carry serious legal consequences.
A reminder of unresolved racial tensions
While beaches and public spaces are legally open to all South Africans, incidents like this highlight how racial prejudice remains deeply embedded in parts of society.
The widespread condemnation of the video also reflects a growing unwillingness among South Africans to tolerate open racism, particularly when it is broadcast online for public consumption.
