Somizi Comes Under Fire For Insulting Journalists

Media personality and TV star Somizi Mhlongo has come under fire for insulting Sunday World acting editor, Kabelo Khumalo, and Julia Madibogo of City Press on Instagram, this past weekend.

Read More: Somgaga Pulls A Pearl Thusi On Local Paper

This follows after Khumalo from Sunday World approached him for comment following the controversy surrounding season 2 of his cooking show, Dinner At Somizi, that it has reportedly been put on ice following accusations of intellectual property theft. Somizi Legend Manqele and Multichoice are accused of stealing Hasting Moengs concept who claims he is the brain behind the show’s concept.

City Press journalist Julia Madibogo approached Somizi on rumors that they are divorcing with his partner Mohale Motaung and he was agitated and decided to let his fingers do the talking for him.

A disgruntled Somizi delivered the most lethal clap backs to the journalist causing pandemonium on social media. Somizi used vulgar slurs when he responded to Khumalo, “Deadline yo m***u kan**ko, g**o lika yihlo, u fu**en abortion survivor.”  In translation, he insulted the journalist’s parents and implied that he survived an abortion.

In a statement SANEF says Somgaga was irresponsible, “We believe this is irresponsible in the extreme and potentially unlawful conduct. Mhlongo has a massive support base and a following in excess of almost 4-million on the Instagram social platform and his followers have resorted to intimidation and harassment of journalists on all social media platforms. They have subjected both Madibogo and Khumalo to torrents of insults and threats,” reads the statement.

What has ruffled the feathers of the SANEF is the fact that Somizi shared the contact numbers of the journalist resulting in his fans making endless calls to the journalists and allegedly threatening their lives.

“Some have directly threatened Madibogo and Khumalo’s wife with rape while Khumalo received threats to his life. The fans also threatened the safety of the journalists’ families. They have tormented them for doing their jobs and asking questions in line with the Press Code that demands of journalists to give a right of reply to everyone they intend to write stories about.”

Although Somgaga has since deleted the posts, SANEF says his followers continue to intimidate the journalists and they have called for him to apologize for his actions.

“SANEF calls on Mhlongo to unreservedly apologize to these journalists and the public on all his social platforms for his unbecoming behavior. He must call on his followers to stop harassing and intimidating them. Further, we call on the journalists to lay charges of intimidation and for MultiChoice to officially distance themselves from Mhlongo’s comments.”

Sanef calls for action against Somizi Mhlongo for insults directed at Sunday World and City Press journalists https://t.co/2TSyUmXd1V

— SANEF (@SAEditorsForum) January 19, 2021

Image Cred: Instagram