Primedia CEO Omar Essack has apologised for a tweet published on Radio 702’s Twitter account that compared two black babies to dogs.
Here is the tweet that @Radio702 deleted without apologizing, they compared black babies to dogs. #MTN702WALK pic.twitter.com/bbmWRmQqSVRadio 702: ‘We offended South Africans and are sorry’
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— ANC Defense Force (@ANC_LEADS) July 23, 2017
In the tweet, the account asked its followers which was was cuter, babies or dogs.
“Go ahead and evoke those broody feelings,” it wrote, promoting the Walk the Talk event that saw nearly 50 000 people walk for various causes.
Essack said that the team was trying to draw people to the event with a reminder of the cuteness that awaited them, but that they had severely missed the mark.
Radio 702: ‘We offended South Africans and are sorry’
“In this country, we have a history where black people have been objectified over centuries and that is wrong,” Essack told 702 host Xolani Gwala on air this morning.
“So when we go about putting out a tweet, in a way we did yesterday, there really is no other way to look at it, but say we were wrong.”
He said that Primedia would be sitting down with the writer of the tweet to suss out whether it came from a place of naivety or racism. The latter, he said, would not be tolerated.
The tweet went viral Sunday, and was deleted without apology — angering South Africans on Twitter.
That is what struck me most…..no apology…..
— #Abanandaba (@ntsikimazwai) July 23, 2017
OMG comparing a baby to a dog, this is shameful, hurtful & disgusting. Some of us have lost morals
— Siqhamo Ndiko (@SiqhamoNdiko) July 23, 2017
Some believed the tweet was innocent, using examples of when white babies had been compared to puppies in the past.
African dictators have found it easy to control black Africans by crying racism. Are these pics racist too? #MTN702WALK pic.twitter.com/LIcWLiPqbb
— Joseph Mokobake
(@Jozee25) July 23, 2017
But others thought that the tweet was clumsy at best.
They should have used small puppies instead of big dogs. If Radio 702: ‘We apologize unreservedly for an offensive tweet published today’you’re on Facebook you’ll see these baby-puppy comparisons all the time.
— Xiletelo Mabasa (@SHEleteloMabasa) July 24, 2017
Not one to keep her nose out of South African controversies, Helen Zille also replied to the tweet with her own image.
Here’s our contribution. Mila (sleeping). Milan (wide awake). pic.twitter.com/5RlgqGYtNn
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) July 23, 2017
Radio 702 later issued a statement on its website apologizing “unreservedly for an offensive tweet published today”.
“You have every right to be angry and offended. We strive to uphold the highest standards in our communication with you. Our mission is to communicate in a manner that builds social cohesion and a sense of community. In this instance we failed.”
“We offended South Africans and are sorry. This does not meet the standards that we expect from ourselves,” it concludes.
Omar Essack’s full apology can be heard here.
