Latest news with #UyandaMbuli
News24
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
‘My intention is never to offend' - Farieda Metsileng on sign language controversy
A recent reenactment on the People Need Comedy (PNC) podcast has stirred debate after actress and comedian Farieda Metsileng portrayed a sign language interpreter, intentionally signing incorrectly as part of a comedic segment. The skit, based on a real news clipping, did not land as well for some, particularly Uyanda Mbuli. The ambassador for the South African National Deaf Association (SANDA) condemned the skit, calling it offensive and demanding a public apology from Farieda. View this post on Instagram A post shared by UYANDA SIBIYA (former MBULI) (@uyandam) The moment has since raised critical questions about the limits of comedy, the responsibilities of public figures and the lines between parody and harm. While Farieda notes it was a teachable moment for her, she explains her perspective in a conversation with TRUELOVE. 'In all honesty, that particular skit was not highlighting the deaf community in a negative light. This was actually, if you look at the skit itself, this was bringing awareness to how our government is being run.' 'I understand where she (Uyanda Mbuli) may have come from trying to bring awareness into letting people know that this is not the right way to do it but her context was completely out of whack for me. And for her to not even have asked 'What is this about?' as opposed to bringing it to 'You're making fun of a group of people that I represent,' for me, it felt very reckless - especially because she is an official representative for the deaf community. So, it touched me in a way that I needed to think about how I needed to approach this but with sensitivity and with also acknowledging this is a teachable moment.' READ MORE | 5 minutes with Farieda 'Pharoahfi' Metsileng - 'It's been a long but enjoyable journey' As part of her response, Farieda references the infamous incident involving Thamsanqa Jantjie, the sign language interpreter who was hired to interpret at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in 2013. She explains that her skit aimed to satirise moments like these, which highlight institutional negligence rather than mock the deaf community itself. 'For a lot of the responses that we got, the people that watch our show who do have disabilities, they're like, 'It would be offensive if you didn't include us because then we feel like the other.' And what we don't want is to exclude people because everybody's different,' she notes. Reflecting on a young democracy where people are still challenging long-held norms, Farieda sees humour as a tool for processing collective trauma. 'We've been through a lot, we've actually tolerated a lot.' For her, comedy creates space for people to make sense of a shared experiences and find comfort in them. Her philosophy is simple: if she can make her own situation feel 'trivial,' it allows others to escape their own troubles, 'even if it's just a minute'.
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Uyanda Mbuli slams Farieda Metsileng for misuse of sign language
Media personality Uyanda Mbuli has lambasted comedian and social media star Farieda Metsileng for misusing sign language in attempt to make a joke. In a recent episode of PNC podcast, Farieda plays the role of sign language interpreter in a comedy news report segment where she deliberately signs incorrectly. Uyanda, who is the ambassador for the South African National Deaf Association, took to her timeline demanding an apology from Farieda. 'For the undying love of God — we cannot continue to allow the SASL [SA Sign Language] deaf community to endure humiliation so others can chase flimsy relevance. Enough is enough. We will not allow a historically marginalised community to become anyone's punchline. Let's be clear: Farieda — the deaf community is not your gimmick. We are not here to validate your precarious comedy career. We are not your content. We are not your joke. South African Sign Language is a legally recognised language. It carries dignity, history and identity. 'Mocking it is not comedy — it is crimen injuria, a criminal offence. You do not get to ridicule our language and expect silence in return. This ends now. We are working to rebuild a community that has been excluded — long after 1994. This is not a moment. It's a movement. And those of you who are laughing and encouraging her — you should be ashamed of yourselves. You are complicit in the violation of a language, a people and a fight for justice that predates your performance culture. To everyone reading this: Take the baton. Speak up. Share the truth. Because justice in sign is justice for us all.'
