Ntsiki Mazwai wants to know why people think she’s dirty

Poet Ntsiki Mazwai finally took to Twitter on Friday to address all the jokes about her supposedly being “Ntsila” (Dirty) Mazwai.

She pointed out that the Roast of Somizi last week had been preoccupied with jokes about her supposedly being dirty, and, while the was at pains to say that she didn’t take it at all seriously, she was honestly wondering where the joke had even come from.

She asked her followers to help her “unpack” the question.

“Do people say I’m dirty because I don’t wear make up or because they are body/looks shaming me? I been trying to figure this out for YEARS.”

It immediately unleashed a wave of reaction, with many saying that the trend of calling her dirty was started by DJ Euphonik years ago.

I'm happy that people know that euphonik started the Ntsiki is Dirty trend ….. https://t.co/BvIGAY4poM

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

Somizi Mhlongo himself, in building up to his Roast last Thursday, had also gone to great lengths to make jokes about Ntsiki being “dirty”.

He told The Citizen in an interview that she hadn’t had a bath in a long time, to which Mazwai has now responded that she does in fact regularly bath and shower.

Well I can testify that I do have a bath and shower and always have 😂😂😂 https://t.co/yMJeOJtszB

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

Somizi said that, at his Roast, with “Ntsiki it’s gonna be personal”.

“I want to roast her and circumcise her with everything that I have. Because Ntsiki … she just blabbers … and offends people. And she thinks this world is … she can just wake up and say s**t about people. And it’s okay.

“She has a bad way of looking for attention. So this is a way to speak my heart as well.

“Unfortunately with Ntsiki, I think she’s thicker-skinned than most of us … and not thick-skinned because she’s thick skinned. She’s thick-skinned because she hasn’t taken a bath in a long time.

“So her skin is so thick of … i’ntsila [dirt]. So … they must call her Ntsila Mazwai.”

Mazwai said that a great deal of the “comedy” content at Somizi’s Roast centred on this theme too, and she wanted to understand it so she could “also laugh”.

Phela the entire panel of the roast used this cheap shot..and they thought they were hilarious. Nomzamo Mbatha entire set was based on this https://t.co/Z77I6bizL0

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

The entire Comedy Central roast is based on this joke…..but I need to understand it so I can also laugh https://t.co/Z77I6bizL0

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

She denied that it bothered her; just that there didn’t seem to be much logic behind it.

No it doesn't get me down 😂😂😂I just wanna understand the logic behind it🤣🤣how can a lie get me down babes? https://t.co/vUAyqkeZvO

Read more

Watch: Somizi’s heart-warming moment at Barcelona airport with South African boys’ choir

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

Her followers started weighing in with their views and theories about it, much of which she retweeted.

You shouldn't deprive yourself over what society expects of you. "It's unique to be different."

— IG: 👑 Mzilakantha (@SirBongani_King) May 4, 2018

Ntsiki u r beautiful, haters will remain haters n is wat they r good with,hating!

— Kgadi Moruno (@moruno179) May 4, 2018

https://twitter.com/Sis_Nelie/status/992283972225851392

So because I'm not a yellowbone I'm dirty? I see https://t.co/mGsctIdogf

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

I think its Because you don't wear make up n weaves…nna ke go rata net soo Umuhle sthandwa

— khanyi💎 (@seakhanyi) May 4, 2018

Because you’re different from the average look

— . (@SaTbooze) May 4, 2018

It's cuz they really have nothing solid on you so they come up with the most irrelevant s#"T just to try and bring you down. https://t.co/RQO7JEjpvI

— Ma’am (@Palesa_MUA) May 4, 2018

Your clean it girls are on cocaine 🙄 https://t.co/y4w91oYaex

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018

"dirty" to them means you don't conform to their rules of society..u speak your truth, u basically do you….and certainly u don't have the " bazothini syndrome

— Amanda (@Amanda50339626) May 4, 2018

It's nothing to do with you but about this internalised eurocentric beauty standards that we conform to,decolonisation of mindsets is vital https://t.co/2eLBMp4304

— Kumnkanikazi (@Mbalikathando) May 4, 2018

https://twitter.com/Joe990gpMoyo/status/992287294655643648

Because True Beauty is an INSIDE JOB pic.twitter.com/QuFq3iXKdR

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) May 4, 2018