7de Laan responds to racist comments

SABC 2 Soapie, 7de Laan, has responded swiftly to racist remarks made by a small selection of viewers after a scene which saw an interracial couple kiss.  

We tried our best to leave racism behind in 2018. We really tried. But some of it crept into the new year and we saw it this week when bigoted Twitter users complained about a kiss involving a black man and a white woman on 7de Laan. 

Fikani (black man) and Alexa (white woman) have been flirting and getting friendly for months on the soapie. It was only a matter of time until something happened between these two and when it did, not everybody was happy about it. 

Warning: Triggering content below! 

Racist comments such as these were found on social media: 

“You are broadcasting shit these days…I don’t want to teach my kids these things…drugs, alcohol abuse, hostages, suicidal thoughts, and now, the cherry on the cake, mixing races…I am not racist, but white with white and black with black…shittiest soap of the decade.”

However, the soapie refused to let these comments shape their narrative. They responded firmly: 

P/1 In light of our recent story line in which Fikani and Alexa share a kiss:

As much as we respect our viewers’ right to voice their opinion, 7de Laan will not tolerate hate speech, racism or instigation of such narratives by any member of the public or media.

— 7de Laan (@Real7deLaan) January 22, 2019

P/2 We stand by our diverse story lines that tell stories of a real South Africa in which we all strive to live harmoniously.
Inter-racial relationships are prevalent and 7de Laan is focused on putting the real South Africa on Television.

— 7de Laan (@Real7deLaan) January 22, 2019

P/3 It is our responsibility to show that art emulates life and in so doing 7de Laan shows the normality of the fact that love knows no age, gender or race.

— 7de Laan (@Real7deLaan) January 22, 2019

P/4 We love and appreciate all our viewers, fans and followers. Thank you for your unyielding support over the past 18- soon to be 19 years.
End.

— 7de Laan (@Real7deLaan) January 22, 2019

 

Despite the negative reaction it caused (and it is worth repeating that this reaction was shared by a small group of viewers), this is the type of programming that is needed in South Africa. 

This is not the first time 7de Laan has been involved in racial drama. A few years ago, Enhle Mbali Maphumulo was part of the cast. During an interview on Real Talk with Anele, she shared that she had experience racism on the set of the Afrikaans soapie. 

She said on the show: “It’s really painful. I heard that someone said Bernard is gonna lose viewership now that he’s kissed a black girl. I was like, is black a disease?  I don’t think people understand what being black is. A simple statement like that shoots really deep. And for me it shot very deep and it was really painful…”

Which soapies do you think have broken the most boundaries with progressive and thought-provoking storylines over the years?

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