Zuma's Communication Adviser Wants Khumbul'ekhaya Sacked

Are you kidding me? Well that was my thought yesterday when I read that our president's communication advisor, Zizi Kodwa, wants Sabc1's hit show off air because he thinks it destroys black families. 

No seriously people. This is not a joke. Daily Sun reported this story and I am still in shock that with all the problems that this country has, our president's adviser is more concerned about black people crying on tv because it "makes our (black) people look bad". Of all the issue that Mr Kodwa could have raised his concerns on in such a public forum, he chose to attack Khumbu.

Khumbul'ekhaya has been a ratings gold for Sabc1 since its first season with a current viewership of about 2,5 million. The show is one of the very few successful programmes on South African television with an audience pull across all demographics. The show has also helped reunite hundreds of families with their estranged and missing loved ones. 

Mr Kodwa wrote on Social media that; 

“Don’t think we should have a TV programme that shows disintegrated families.”

So in Mr Kodwa's mind we should all pretend that all is well in our society and not shine a light on the problems that lies with our communities. How many fatherless kids have turned to crime because they felt abondoned by their parents?

The show has been able to help a lot of South Africans get closure and explanations as to why those who have deserted them did that. Kids have been able to ask their mothers why she would abondon them only to find out that she did not but was forced by circumstances to leave them behind. 

Such kids were able to forgive their mother and build a better life with her going forward. How is that a bad thing to black people?

In a reported interview with Daily Sun Mr Kodwa is quoted as saying; 

“Khumbul’ekhaya should consider changing its script,”  

“We are constructing a new society that was destroyed by many things and a show like Khumbul’ekhaya is negative and does not portray our society in a good light. What message does it send to our communities and what does it say about us?”

He is further reported to have said that he did not think that the show was based on research as it mostly targeted black families. He apparently maintained that from where he sat, the country’s families seemed stable, although all families had problems sometimes.

Let's address the research part of that statement. If he himself had done some research he would know what the demographic of SABC 1 is. Why would a show on SABC1 target white families? Does he think the show would have been as much of success had it been on Mnet? 

What apparently ticked Zizi off was people appearing on this show and crying in front of the cameras. Yeah, forget about the crime and carnage that we see daily on our tv screens in every bulletin. Mr Kodwa was angered by people crying on Khumbul'ekhaya. 

“I did not even cry when my mother passed away and that is when I thought I would break down. People must compose themselves when on TV,” he alledgedly said.

Ok, I saw the episode this past Wednesday that actually broke the straw on the camel's back for Zizi Kodwa. The episode featured two women looking for their father, whom they found in Free State. Though the two ladies claimed not to habour any ill feelings towards their father. They were very vocal about the pain they endured as a result of their father abandoning them.

When it came time to conclude the segment, the girls gave the father an ultimatum that they would only take his apology if he came back home to the Eastern Cape. The conversation was emotional with one of the girls crying while taking to her father. However at no point did any of the girls scold or call the father names.

How Zizi Kodwa could watch the same episode and see it as disrespectful to the old man, I am baffled.

“I’m not a fan of Khumbul’ekhaya and I do not support men who disappear from their families. Khumbul’ekhaya should consider changing its script. We are constructing a new society that was destroyed by many things and a show like Khumbul’ekhaya is negative and does not portray our society in a good light.” said Kodwa.

I wonder if Zizi watched shows like Generations, and reality shows on tv. These shows have characters that a conservative person may deem immoral. There is a lot of sleeping around, with hardly any mention of condoms. Shouldn't Mr Kodwa try and get those off air? 

Hell he should be lashing out at Generations in particular because the mediocrity on that show should definitely be a crime. If anyone is making us black people look bad is that show considering that it is number one in this country and yet it is ridiculously bad. What does that say about our taste?  

Has Mr Kodwa watched our music shows and the music videos on them. Young women are berated and called names while they happily dance half naked in these very same videos. Young black men are misled by this bling culture to believe that the only way for them to matter is by amassing wealth by any means possible even if it means going to jail as being a criminal gives one "street cred".   

Has Zizi seen that? Or just take an hour to watch Big Brother ... need I say more?

It is very evident that Zizi Kodwa picked a wrong villain here. To claim that Khumbul'ekhaya is contributing to a degradation of our black communities is beyond being wrong it is just ridiculous to even comprehend. 

Guess eating Sushi off of naked women is more acceptable

Not to question Mr Kodwa's credibility or the integrity of his position as the President's communication adviser, but this does pose some rather disturbing questions in one's mind. If Mr Kodwa in his capacity in the presidency could make such a bad error in judgement what advise is he giving our Prez?

It is disheartening that he thinks a show like Khumbul'ekhaya does more harm to our black families than the blatant opulence that is shown by his colleagues within the ruling party in the face of abject poverty among our black people. 

SABC 1 publicity manager Vukile Madlala confirming to Daily Sun that there was no chance of the corporation stopping the show

“Khumbul’ekhaya’s objective and aim is to reunite families who were previously separated by the past circumstances within our country – which reflects the reality of our society. Therefore the programme has resonance and is relevant to our audiences. Television is a powerful medium to communicate and achieve a desired outcome. In this case it’s to locate lost family members that have not been found by other means.”

Seriously, Zizi. There are far more important and concerning issues for you to be complaining about and actually shedding some much needed light on than the fact that black people cry on Khumbul'ekhaya.

Eish and I was so proud of him for taking on traffic cops when the claimed that he had been drinking just simply because they stopped him in a predominantly black neighbourhood.