Mthethwa asked to call Masechaba to order following Mandarin coronavirus video
This is Masechaba's second public blunder, which has seen people calling on Mthethwa to call her to order.
Masechaba left listeners unimpressed after she questioned Anatii, who appeared on her Metro FM drive time show about having some sort of calling and his weight.
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa’s spokesperson Masechaba Ndlovu is in hot water again after sharing an awareness video that was deemed offensive by many.
American President Donald Trump may have inspired the making of the video as the language used sounds like Mandarin.
Trump was criticised last week after referring to coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus”.
He later changed his tune after meeting the country’s president.
Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet. China has been through much & has developed a strong understanding of the Virus. We are working closely together. Much respect!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2020
In the video, father and son discuss the virus, which has infected more than 700,000 people and killed more than 30,000 people worldwide. While the content of the video was not deemed problematic, it is the language used, with the actors being accused of perpetuating racial stereotypes against the Chinese.
The actors, father and son talk about the importance of carrying hand sanitiser with you at all times, wearing a mask, not touching your face, and sneezing into a flexed elbow as ways to curb the spread of coronavirus.
“The message is simple,” says Masechaba in the now deleted video.
Khaya Sithole commented: “There you go @realDonaldTrump. You can cite this at your next press briefing. You can thank me later. Or more accurately, the Government of the Republic of South Africa,” while Mbhazima Shilowa said: “I think the lift doesn’t reach the top floor.”
Some have called on Mthethwa to call his spokesperson to order. This was her second alleged blunder after starting her duties a few weeks ago.
She was highly criticised after tweeting about a supposed “death toll” in South Africa during Mthethwa’s interview last week.
“The message is unambiguous. People must listen to what the president has said. There is no ‘if’ or ‘maybe,’ people are dying. The death toll was at 64 yesterday, we now stand at 116. – Minister @NathiMthethwaSA #OneMessageManyVoices,” she tweeted at the time.
She later apologised, as she had – obviously – been referring to cases of infection, not death.
READ NEXT: Masechaba Ndlovu apologises for coronavirus death toll tweet
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