Twitter calls for boycott of ‘insensitive’ Drum magazine

This week’s issue of Drum Magazine features king of Kwaito Arthur Mafokate and his daughters on its cover and Twitter is really not impressed.

The magazine wrote: “Arthur: My life, my girls – and that abuse incident,” further quoting him as saying he wouldn’t “want someone to hurt one of my daughters”, which paints him as a good family man.

To dismiss the serious charges against him as “that abuse incident” also came across as quite weird for many.

Check out the cover below:

On shelves now! Grab your copy! https://t.co/4g17MHxCN1 pic.twitter.com/ZdJjIPaHUc

— DRUM magazine (@DrumMagazine) June 23, 2017

Mafokate has been accused of domestic violence after singer Busisiwe Twala, popularly known as Cici, opened a case of assault against Mafokate, who she called “my boyfriend” in a police statement.

Mafokate allegedly dragged her on the street with his car during an argument after receiving a phone call from another woman while they were in the bedroom.

He was released on R500 bail.

“What editorial choice motivated to feature someone facing claims of abuse? Just curious,” some on Twitter have asked.

Mafokate may have not been found guilty of the crime but Drum magazine made a bad decision in using him and his daughters when his case was still pending. It showed that the magazine disregarded women’s safety, argued Twitter.

Now they are calling for a magazine boycott due to it being “insensitive”.

These were some of the reactions on Twitter:

“At a time when not a day goes by without a female dying at the hands of abusive men, your article on Arthur sure must be some milestone, huh?”

“Are you guys endorsing abuse against women? Why offer an abuser the platform to excuse his behaviour?”

“Your punchline ‘The magazine that support Abusers’ If you really wanted a story, you could’ve at least dedicated any page to him not front page.”

“Ohhwww wooow @DrumMagazine really? Yhuuu women go through the most and nina nibusy ‘painting a diff picture’ to the whole situation.”

“I am so done buying Drum! You should talk to the victim and not the perpetrator. Doing damage control for Mafokate?”

“What a Mess. Always giving the abuser a platform to show ‘how good of a person’ they are. This is disgusting when women are dying.”

The magazine has not responded to the criticism.

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