Latest news with #Zulu-speaking
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
ANC defeats EFF and MK in Motherwell but is losing ground
The ANC retained a safe seat in the southern part of Motherwell, Nelson Mandela Bay, although it lost ground to the EFF and uMkhonto Wesizwe party. The EFF was well ahead of MK in the race for second place. Ward 23 (Motherwell) Nelson Mandela Bay: ANC 64% (76%) EFF 25% (13%) MK 10 % Azapo 1% (<1%) The setting: Motherwell is northwest of the Gqeberha city centre. It sits between the Zwartkops River and the R335 road which links the city with Addo. Ward 23 is in the southern part of Motherwell. The ward is close to the Markman industrial area and next to the R335 road. Kaizer Chiefs defender Bongani Sam and artist George Pemba are famous sons of Motherwell. The 2021 local government election: The ANC won more than three-quarters of the vote for an easy win. The EFF was the only other party to get into double percentage figures on the ward ballot. The DA finished a distant third with 4%. The 2024 provincial election: The ANC won 69% on the provincial ballot in the ward. The EFF was second with 20% and the DA third on 3%. The uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party only obtained 1%, while the Azanian People's Organisation (Azapo) had negligible support. The by-election: The ward councillor died. The ANC retained the ward by a margin of more than 930 votes, sweeping all four voting districts. The ANC did best at the Enqileni Primary School district where it obtained 72% support. It won more than two-thirds of the vote at two other voting stations. The party was pushed at Dumani Primary School in Motherwell 3 where it won 53%. The EFF's second-place finish was built on a strong showing at Dumani Primary School where it won 35%, while it took more than 20% at Enqileni Primary School. MK got into double percentage figures in two districts. Its 15% return at Motherwell Community Hall was its best result in the ward. MK will be satisfied with a 10% haul in a metropolitan township with almost no Zulu-speaking voters. While it was unable to match the 16% it obtained in a recent Motherwell by-election, this result suggests the party has established a foothold in Motherwell and will pose a threat to the ANC's proportional representation councillor tally after the next local government election. The next round of by-elections will be on 20 August when the ANC will defend two seats – in King Sabata Dalindyebo (Mthatha Southernwood), Eastern Cape, and in Knysna (Nekkies Dam-Se-Bos) in the Western Cape. The DA will face fierce competition in Matzikama (Vanrhynsdorp) in the Western Cape. DM
IOL News
05-08-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
The fine line between humour and discrimination in advertising: Pineapple Insurance's example
Pineapple Insurance was called before the ARB to explain an advert promoting car insurance after a complainant said it was insensitive towards cultures. Image: File The advertising watchdog has instructed that a Facebook advertisement by Pineapple Insurance be withdrawn, which compared driving without car insurance to greeting a taxi driver by saying 'dumelang' (in Sesotho). The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB), after receiving a complaint from a member of the public about the advertisement, found it to be discriminatory. The complaint submitted that the advert is full of tribalistic stereotypes and undertones, like the one that assumes that all taxi drivers are Zulus and hate Sotho-speaking people. The advertiser responded that the advertisement highlights the importance of having car insurance by drawing a relatable, light-hearted analogy from everyday South African life. It states that the Zulu phrase used translates to 'driving without insurance is like saying dumelang to a taxi driver', intending to illustrate a situation that is out of the norm. This is much like using a Sotho greeting when the standard expectation or cultural norm with a Zulu-speaking taxi driver is a Zulu greeting, it explained. The advertiser argued that, as Zulu is the most widely used language in South Africa, it stands to reason that the majority of South African taxi drivers are Zulu-speaking, and to greet them in another language is likely to cause an awkward interaction. It also explained that taxi drivers in Gauteng are more likely to be Zulu-speaking statistically, and as such, the advertisement makes no assertions or generalisations of cultural groups. According to the advertiser, the general goal of the campaign is to be more inclusive of all South African groups by including references to everyone's culture in everyone's languages, in a relatable manner. The ARB directorate noted that South Africans often deal with their differences with humour, which, when it works, can be a positive cultural phenomenon. But it said, the line between a light-hearted joke and discrimination is a challenging one to draw. The advertiser has argued that greeting a taxi driver (who, it argues, is likely to be a Zulu person) by speaking Sotho would be awkward, and that this is the analogy that it seeks to make. The directorate, however, does not agree that this is how the hypothetical reasonable consumer would view this advertisement. Driving without insurance is not awkward. It is risky and comes with a great deal of financial and personal risk, it said.
TimesLIVE
04-06-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
Is Floyd Shivambu a victim of tribalistic machinations in MK Party?
The removal of Floyd Shivambu as secretary-general of the MK Party has sparked a debate about the party's alleged tribalistic behaviour. His removal comes after his controversial visit to fugitive 'prophet' Shepherd Bushiri's church in Malawi over Easter weekend, which the party deemed unauthorised and contrary to its constitution. Critics argue that the MK Party's leadership structure and support base, predominantly Zulu-speaking, give the impression of a 'Zulu party'. The party's dominance in KwaZulu-Natal, where it secured most of the vote in the 2024 elections, has fuelled these perceptions. Additionally, party leader Jacob Zuma's practice of addressing members in Zulu during briefings has been cited as evidence of the party's tribalistic tendencies. Shivambu's time in the party has been marred by controversy, including complaints about his leadership style and a public spat with Zuma's daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla. His removal from the secretary-general position has been met with mixed reactions, with some speculating his differences with Duduzile may have contributed to his departure, while others assumed he was just unfortunate due to not being Zulu. Despite the controversy surrounding his removal, Shivambu accepted the decision and thanked the party leadership for assigning him to an 'important role' in parliament. The party has announced Shivambu will be redeployed to serve in the National Assembly as an MP.
