Eusebius McKaiser, who was a South African writer and broadcaster, died in Johannesburg at the age of 44. He was known for his intense scrutiny of South Africa’s struggle with apartheid’s legacy in areas such as race, politics, sexual violence, and identity. He completed a podcast last week that criticized the dominant African National Congress party of President Cyril Ramaphosa and lamented the opposition’s inability to provide a viable electoral alternative. Mr. McKaiser was an advocate for the same-sex rights enshrined in South Africa’s post-apartheid constitution, particularly in a continent where various governments embrace homophobic policies. As a prominent public intellectual, he traced many of South Africa’s seemingly intractable social problems to the apartheid era.
In his book “Run, Racist, Run: Journeys into the Heart of Racism,” Mr. McKaiser wrote that, as in the era of enforced racial separation, Black and white people still tended to live segregated lives. Mr. McKaiser’s views were often divisive, particularly in a country where radio talk shows yield much of the grist of political discourse. He began his career as a radio broadcaster with a late-night talk show on Radio 702, a commercial station based in Johannesburg, before working for other stations, including SABC3 and PowerFM.
Mr. McKaiser published several books on politics and race, including “A Bantu in My Bathroom,” “Could I vote DA: A Voter’s Dilemma” (DA refers to the opposition Democratic Alliance), and “Run, Racist Run.” In one of his final social media posts, he urged his followers to watch a talented amputee from South Africa who had just reached the finals of a British talent show.
