Social Media can make or break a person and brands but it can also bring social change.
We can’t forget the impact that the #FeesMustFall campaign had or the impact of the recent episode of Our Perfect Wedding.
On Sunday Twitter was up in arms about the OPW episode about Fanie and Bavelile Mkhwanazi who started dating when Fanie was 28 and Bavelile was only 14 years old.
Many cited this as statutory rape saying that Mzansi Magic, Connect TV and ABSA support crime. The topic has been trending for the past two days.
Mzansi Magic sent out a statement on Twitter and to the media apologising or airing the episode.
“Mzansi Magic and its production company, Connect TV, wish to apologise for airing the episode of Our Perfect Wedding that was broadcast on 29 November 2015. While we strive to produce quality, compelling content for our viewers, we realise more stringent measure should have been applied in the production and broadcasting of this particular episode as its subject matter is clearly offensive and unacceptable,” read the statement.
That was not the end of it. ABSA, who were sponsoring R10 000 to the couple in each episode, also sent their own comment on social media following the uproar saying that they are cutting ties with Mzansi Magic
@Absa : Absa confirms that it informed Mzansi Magic this morning that we have withdrawn our sponsorship of Our Perfect Wedding with immediate effect
The attempt by ABSA to distance themselves only landed them in more trouble.
@OwaFlopo: @Absa so you guys judge a man by his past yet u used to be Volkskas bank that was financing apartheid? We forgave u mos
@MsNthabel @Absa so before the episode aired you saw nothing wrong?
@Nipho_Reserved @Absa in 2003 my card was swallowed by your atm at high point in hillbrow. I had klipa in it. You charged me R60. I hate y'all.
In October ABSA called a groom Balekani a Hooligan because he was a gambler. They tweeted: “From hooligan to husband – congratulations Balekani and Mariam. We'd bet on this couple.”
What happens on Twitter does not stay on Twitter and that's exactly what happened with OPW. People are now signing a petition to stop Mzansi Magic from promoting rape culture. The petition states that “We demand that you immediately publicly commit to airing a special episode of Our Perfect Wedding where you critically engage viewers in tackling gender based violence by condemning rape and engaging viewers with the stories of rape survivors and how we can address rape in Mzansi,” the site read.
It still remains to be seen if the channel will comply to these demands but so far over 500 people have signed.
Another social media incident that stands out in the past few months was the Date My Family contestant Stanly Ramolobeng.
The aspiring actor from Kempton Park enraged viewers with controversial remarks he made on Mzansi Magic’s reality show. He wanted to get people talking and get his name out there but it seems he killed his career before it even began.
