Twitter divided over actor Hlomla Dandala’s ‘xenophobia’

Actor Hlomla Dandala, known for his outspoken presence on Twitter, took to the platform to voice his opinion that areas such as Yeoville and Hillbrow are a reminder of “how much we’ve lost to foreign African nationals”.

Preempting those who may have called the comment out for xenophobia, the actor continued: “Call it xenophobia all you like but truth is truth”.

https://twitter.com/HlomlaDandala/status/1082848299114213376

Reactions to the tweet, which had over 1,200 likes and almost 500 RTs at the time of publication, showed that some agree with Dandala.

However, not everyone felt his comment was fair and, as predicted, he was criticised for xenophobia.

And yes it is xenophobic (what else should we call it?) and extremely stupid tweet. I mean to say you lost Yeoville and Hillbrow to foreign African nationals, means for one it was yours to lose and two these foreign African nationals took it from you

— Northside Lebz (@mojoLebz) January 9, 2019

😲😲😲😲. The way I just fell over my chair. Yeah dude, let's call it what it is, You're xenophobic and this tweet pretty much sums it up. @CedoMadubedube , check out this subtle hate-monger! https://t.co/1QqQdfvwaB

— Karen Huger (@Zulu_Targaryen) January 9, 2019

The xenophobia here 🤮 https://t.co/ovQyQpmNav

— Mo-fela (@iam_kingbee) January 9, 2019

Such xenophobia so early..from a whole @HlomlaDandala ?!! Wow

— Sandi (@Muera_Bonga) January 9, 2019

At least these foreign national are boosting the economy of South Africa

— shevyroxycollins❤️ (@shevyroxy) January 9, 2019

https://twitter.com/mojatau/status/1082882766902050816

The tweet did gain the support of some users.

https://twitter.com/TshepiMoremong/status/1082906777082040320

I am a foreign national, and I will be one of the first to tell you stories of how most of the people I know and myself were robbed and assaulted by other foreign nationals – some of them are my countrymen.
Those guys do not do the rest of us any favours with their lifestyles.

— C. S. Chiwanza (@CSChiwanza) January 9, 2019

We are currently living with a foreign national selling drugs broad daylight in our complex here in centurion.

— Prisoner of Hope 🕊 (@maabane2020) January 9, 2019

Some felt that Dandala’s concerns are misdirected, and should be aimed at white South Africans rather than his fellow Africans. The actor rejected this argument.

https://twitter.com/TuffLifeKing/status/1082855929845030918

https://twitter.com/HlomlaDandala/status/1082881952263389185

https://twitter.com/HlomlaDandala/status/1082877059817488385

Since the tweet, the actor has been engaging in debate with followers who disagree with him.

He also tweeted that people had been calling him “xenophobic all morning”, despite the fact that he himself indicated in his original tweet that this would be a likely response to his views.

One Twitter user compared Dandala to US President Donald Trump, to which the actor replied: “Trump wins because liberals won’t face certain truths. Denialism leaves the Trumps of the world with room to access power.”

https://twitter.com/HlomlaDandala/status/1082891655794122752

https://twitter.com/HlomlaDandala/status/1082884834056433666

One of Dandala’s Nigerian followers felt betrayed by the tweet, stating that Dandala once played a Nigerian character and had a following in the country as a result. He was likely referring to Dandala’s portrayal of Jacob Makhubu Abayomi, a South African-born businessman who discovers his father is Nigerian, in the television series Jacob’s Cross, which was shown both locally and in Nigeria.

https://twitter.com/Yommie_ATAF/status/1082936833317785600

This is not Dandala’s only link to the wider continent. He won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Pan African Film Festival in 2011, and won the award for Best Actor at the Ghana Movie Awards in 2014.

Dandala is an award-winning actor and director known for, among other roles, playing Kingsley Siseko Langa on soapie Scandal.

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