BCC dismiss complaints over Tumi Morake and her on-air race comments

Jacaranda FM hosts Tumi Morake and Martin Bester were at the centre of this racial controversy

Jacaranda FM advertiser pulls out of R100k deal over racial comments

Furniture store manager says ‘black people should stop blaming whites for their problems’.

BCC dismiss complaints over Tumi Morake and her on-air race comments

Jacaranda FM hosts Tumi Morake and Martin Bester were at the centre of this racial controversy

The Jacaranda FM fallout has continued this week, after big-spending sponsor Eric Barnard Meubels withdrew from their R100,000-a-month contract with the station following a host’s comments on race.

Comedian, actress and Jacaranda FM breakfast show co-host Tumi Morake compared white people to bullies, and claimed it was unfair that black people ‘must treat white people equally’ after 1994.

The comments have caused a host of complaints, an official boycott group on Facebook and the cancellation of numerous other events that had the Gauteng-based Jacaranda FM staff in attendance.

Morake’s analogy on South African race relations:

“It’s like a child whose bicycle was taken forcefully away from him. Then you say to the bully, ‘no, no, no, share the bike together, don’t be like that.'”

Who took offence to Morake’s comments?

This was enough to convince Eric Barnad Meubels’ Manager Marius Barnard to end their professional relationship. According to him, they have spent 25 years advertising on Jacaranda FM. However, he confirmed they will now take their business elsewhere.

Barnard described his staunch opposition to what was said, and maintains that he will not advertise with a company that mixes business with politics:

“Comments made by Tumi Morake are very racial and political. I cannot associate with a station that takes one side. With the economy, advertising costs are becoming higher… we did not get any returns from Jacaranda in terms of customers.”

“By taking away the advertising, we are saying enough is enough. Black people should stop saying we [white people] are to blame for their problems.”

Jacaranda FM in deep trouble

In the crossfire was Morake’s co-host, Martin Bester. He was seen to be complicit with her views and has been targeted for abuse and derision himself.

Bester was due to perform at the Elephant Bull Sports Bar in Lephalale on Friday 29th September. However, a ‘negative public reaction’ has forced the venue to pull the plug on the event.