Koeksisters And Sokkies -- Enough To Mend The Relationship Between Tumi Morake and AfriForum?

"I'm not just learning a language, I am learning a culture and a people. But it is very hard when it is antagonistic."
Tumi Morake.
Tumi Morake.
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Jacaranda FM drive-time host Rian van Heerden facilitated an on-air conversation between comedian Tumi Morake and AfriForum's CEO Kallie Kriel in a bid to mend the relationship between the two parties.

AfriForum and trade union Solidarity had been contemplating laying a complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) against Morake, saying an analogy she made on air about post-apartheid South Africa on the station's breakfast show was racist.

AfriForum has since confirmed it would not be laying a complaint.

During the conversation, Morake said AfriForum should not just threaten her without knowing the context in which she made the comments.

'If you are saying [you are] not a bully, why is your first response to label me and attack me, instead of saying, 'Where are you going with this thing?'" she said.

The comedian went on to express her interest in Afrikaans culture. Morake said it was, however, difficult to express her love for it, as she felt she was being attacked by Afrikaans people.

"I am obsessed with Afrikaans culture, ek leer die taal, ek wil nou leer sokkie [I am learning the language, I want to learn how to sokkie]. I'm not even kidding. I'm not just learning a language, I am learning a culture and a people... but it is very hard when it is antagonistic," she said.

Van Heerden suggested that Morake go to the AfriForum headquarters for koeksisters [a traditional Afrikaner pastry] as a way to reconcile.

"Ek is nogal te bang [I am too scared]," she responded.

"You should get rid of these stereotypes, you don't have to be scared of me," Kriel assured Morake.

Van Heerden has been vocal about people who have called Morake racist and took to Facebook to support his colleague. He lashed out at Jacaranda FM listeners who have threatened to boycott the station because of Morake's remarks.

Morake was reflecting on South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy and stated that "apartheid was about the oppression of black people" on her Tuesday show.

"It's like a child whose bicycle was taken forcefully away from him and then you say to the bully, 'no, no, no, share the bike together, don't be like that.'"

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