Basetsana Kumalo and husband Romeo Kumalo win defamation case. Image via Twitter @basetsanakumalo
Twitter storm over Basetsana Kumalo’s past interview with Miss Universe
Basetsana Kumalo has been slammed for being rude to newly crowned Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi in a past interview.
Basetsana Kumalo and husband Romeo Kumalo win defamation case. Image via Twitter @basetsanakumalo
In the video that was shot for the TV presenter search competition Presenter Search on 3 in 2018, Kumalo appears to be tough towards Tunzi who has been crowned Miss Universe 2019, in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday.
However to be fair – Kumalo, who was a former Miss SA and is a successful businesswoman and media personality, was not actually nasty towards Tunzi. The video was part of a test to see how our Miss Universe, who had at the time entered the SABC3 presenter search, would fare under pressure from one of the guest judges on the panel which happened to be the former Miss SA.
Guest judge with attitude?
Kumalo is also the co-owner of Tswelopele Productions alongside Patience Stevens. Tswelopele produces Top Billing, Pasella and Top Travel, all shows which appear on SABC. Kumalo was invited to be a guest judge on the presenter search programme, along with regular judges Jeannie D, DJ Fresh, Sbusiso Kumalo, and her business partner Stevens.
On Twitter, however, Kumalo soon started trending after the video was posted by an account called Trending Videos. The Bassie: My Journey of Hope author can be seen responding to questions from Tunzi and her co-presenter.
Mama B’s ‘condescending tone’
Kumalo comments that she is old enough to be Tunzi’s mother after the 26-year-old says that she isn’t sure how she should address her as she was only one year old when the businesswoman was crowned Miss SA in 1994.
Kumalo tells Thunzi in a somewhat condescending tone that she should address her as “Mama B”. Later in the video, she tells her that one of her questions isn’t phrased properly, to which Tunzi just keeps quiet and nods.
Mixed reactions and dialogue
The video has elicited mixed reactions, with some slamming Kumalo for being patronising while others have understood the context of the video and lamented that it shouldn’t be taken so seriously.
The video has also sparked dialogue about what young professionals purportedly experience in their work environments when they have to report to older women and are mistreated because of their youth.
Kumalo keeping mum
Kumalo has yet to speak out since the video has began trending.
She has however tweeted her support for Tunzi’s win at Miss Universe 2019 by retweeting a statement about how Tunzi has shown young women that who they are is enough and that they are worthy of success.
