'Fruitful' or PR stunt? UDM's meeting with eNCA over mask saga draws mixed reactions
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Image: Bantu Holomisa/Twitter
The UDM's “fruitful” meeting with TV news channel eNCA has garnered a wide array of reactions.
The party met eNCA management on Wednesday over the conduct of its reporter Lindsay Dentlinger. She was accused of racism after she asked black MPs in parliament to wear masks before interviewing them and did not ask the same of white MPs.
UDM MP Nqabayomzi Kwankwa was one of the MPs Dentlinger told to wear a mask.
The UDM has approached the SA Human Rights Commission to lay a complaint against Dentlinger.
She apologised for the incidents, saying she was not racist and that the incident showed that SA and its newsrooms needed to have a dialogue on race “and how people are portrayed in the media”.
On social media, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa revealed that the party and eNCA discussed the mask incident, transformation at eNCA and in the media industry in general.
“eNCA has committed to issue a statement about our proposals to them and the resolutions of the meeting tomorrow [Thursday]," he said.
Just finished our fruitful meeting with the ENCA management, where we discussed the mask incident, transformation at eNCA and in the media industry in general.@eNCA has committed to issue a statement about our proposals to them and the resolutions of the meeting tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VKjfCCUvKi
— Bantu Holomisa (@BantuHolomisa) March 3, 2021
Speaking on SABC, Kwankwa said the party expects eNCA to make a public apology.
“We made it clear to the eNCA leadership team that they managed the whole saga terribly, highlighting the fact that it seemed as if they were forced by the public and the uproar on social networks in order for them to apologise,” said Kwankwa.
“They did indeed admit that mistakes were made and they used the meeting to extend an apology to the UDM. But obviously, an expectation from the party such as the UDM is that if the mistake was made [in] public and if some of the statements were issued in public, the same apology should be made public at the time when it is relevant to do so.”
Online, many weighed in on the meeting, including former public protector Thuli Madonsela.
“Leadership is the art of engaging others to influence and inspire them to think and act as desired. This looks like it,” said Madonsela.
#Leadership is the art of engaging others to influence and inspire them to think and act as desired. This looks like it.💯 And Lao Tsu says the best general is one who wins the war without firing a single shot. Well done @BantuHolomisa, MP. https://t.co/27on3I4SIZ
— Prof Thuli Madonsela (@ThuliMadonsela3) March 3, 2021
Here is a snapshot of what others said:
Basically you told them what to say,you wrote the statement for them hatever they say in that statement it's not coming from.
— General Qasem Soleimani (@PuziMzi) March 3, 2021
There’s nothing fruitful you finished there unless there were fruits then yes you could have finished them. You have been in politics before I was even born and you have never dealt with any racism so you can’t start now therefore. Hlulwa EFF party ena 6 years. Yabhuda mhlekazi!
— 4everWoke (@Msigi_Emotion) March 3, 2021
At least unlike rascals who will stomped to the ENCA with pelt racial comments you Mr ka Holomisa you chose a ethical approach
— Soweto-Mapetla ActionSA (@SiphoKolanisi1) March 3, 2021
Ndiyathemba ke Tata uyibeke kwacaca ukuba into yobuhlanga ayisoze yamnkeleke tuu ebantwini abamnyama kwaye ndinethemba akhona amanyathelo athathiweyo ngakulaNtatheli.
— Msindisi Mabohlo (@MsindisiMabohl3) March 3, 2021
General iam a bit worried that in this time in our democracy we still don't have a specific action on stuff like this beside marching and engaging. I think we have lost the battle on racism. We should by now know exactly what steps to take when such nonsense happens.
— calvin maila (@calvinmaila1) March 3, 2021
A lot of keyboard warriors are criticizing the approach,well, Google maps can direct you to enca for you to implement your strategy 🤷🏿♂️
— Bongani K Mahlangu (@BonganiKhensani) March 3, 2021
This is just PR stance for them to be seen as people who are doing something nothing will come out of this and no proper concequences will come
— everestjobemevo (@everestjobemevo) March 3, 2021
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