Racism is rife in SA. Dismissing such acts or experiences as “unimportant” is not only ignorant but insensitive to the people affected.
Recently, radio personality Gareth Cliff’s utterances resulted in the termination of sponsorship for his show, The Burning Platform on Cliff Central.
This was after a social media counterblast when One Movement SA spokesperson Mudzuli Rakhivhane posted a video from Thursday’s show with a comment describing Cliff and DA leader John Steenhuisen’s behaviour towards her as “the literal definition of black lives don’t matter”.
In the clip, Cliff brushed off Rakhivhane when she attempted to talk about race-baiting. Rakhivhane was asking Steenhuisen about the recent DA controversial “racists vs heroes” election posters that the officials opposition had to take down after public outrage in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Your personal experiences are completely anecdotal and unimportant to all of us, sorry,” Cliff is heard saying on the clip as Rakhivhane tried to talk about her personal experiences of racism. Steenhuisen nodded with a smile.
Nando’s said Cliff had failed to create an environment that allowed free speech by talking over Rakhivhane and dismissing her views. It terminated its sponsorship for the show and its reaction to the matter is welcome.
Pity Steenhuisen will lose nothing after supporting Cliff’s tasteless action on the show. We report on cases of racism in this country often, so as soon it rears its ugly head, it must be dealt with immediately. Ignoring it will allow it to fester.
Not so long ago, it was the DA posters, which the party withdrew finally. Then a Cape Town landlord who racially discriminated against a tenant. A couple of days before, racists defaced Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s mural.
Yes, there are crimen injuria charges one can lay when anyone uses racist slurs against them but there are often no consequences to subtle racism where one is shut down. We hear it everyday when black people are told to “get over the suffering under apartheid” and “move on”.
It is good that when the “get over it” behaviour, which is hurtful to people who are at the receiving end of racism, is perpetuated on public platforms like radio shows, sponsors notice and dissociate their brand from it .
We need more anger expressed against racism as it has no place in a democratic SA. Whoever believes it is OK or a minor issue must face the consequences of their actions.
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