PLAYWRIGHT and actress Ayanda Borotho and cultural expert, Dr Gugu Mazibuko, have lambasted Ayanda Ncwane.
They accused her of using KZN flood victims for her own publicity.
A week ago, Ayanda visited her home village in Endwedwe and took photos of herself with KZN flood victims.
In some of the photos, she can be seen kneeling down in front of the candles and clothes of the deceased.
Borotho and Mazibuko felt she was being opportunistic.
In her Instagram post, Borotho asked people to respect the families of the deceased and refrain from this practice.
She wrote: “Can we please stop posting the people affected? Post the destruction, not the people.
“This is not about you. It’s not about us. It’s about those affected. Post what you’re doing; your groceries and blankets. These we post to encourage people to give and raise funds.
“But going as far as posing for pictures, posting imisamo where clothes of their children and family members are laid in memoriam, and women in mattresses?
“What is this about? What are you doing exactly? Where’s dignity in that?
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“People have lost everything and you come and strip them of the little dignity that’s left just so you can post? This is not PR but real people. Stop playing with real lives on these fake social media streets.”
A cultural expert Dr Gugu Mazibuko agreed with Borotho, saying: “Posing for photos with grieving families shows lack of Ubuntu. Culturally, if you are donating, there is no need to publicise your good gesture. Such act reduces the recipients to paupers.
“We also frown upon people who take photos of umsamo (prayer place) with candles and clothes of the deceased. “Unfortunately, the affected families find themselves in a tight position because they cannot stop such people from invading their space. They are desperate for their help as a result they simply go with the flow even if they don’t like it,” said Mazibuko.
When Daily Sun contacted Ayanda, she neither responded to text messages nor answered her calls.
