Major backlash for author over 'why I hire blue eyes before black guys'
Respected editor Lerato Tshabalala has come under fire for an extract of her book, The way I see It: The musings of a black woman in the rainbow nation.
The edited extract was printed in the Sunday Times on Sunday and caused massive controversy on social media, with the piece going viral and Tshabalala trending for over 8 hours on Twitter.
In the extract, the former True Love editor details why she will give white people jobs over black people.
"You see, white people sign contracts, give invoices and don't usually leave without finishing the job. Facts are facts. Y'all might be mad, my people, but you know I ain't lying. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying every black service provider is dodgy - not at all. But sadly, the majority of our people are chancers and don't give a damn about customer service"
Tshabalala went on to explain her statements, saying that in her experience black people act inappropriately on the job.
"As soon as the man with the blue eyes gets into his bakkie and leaves his staff behind with you, they start chatting you up and acting inappropriately. Asking you for juice, telling you how hungry they are and how you look like someone who's got money: "Sis Lerato, ja, maan, I can see that you've done well for yourself, heh. Eish, could I please have that shirt that I saw on the bed in the spare bedroom?" True story."
The extract was met with widespread condemnation but Tshabalala has yet to respond.
"Gave my mom a copy of the book last night. She's reading it now and just sent me this: "I feel like ngikhuluma nawe."#TheWayISeeIt," she wrote on Twitter.
You can read the full edited extract here.
The poor timing of Lerato Tshabalala's article means her intended msg is lost on us #Blackfolk. Maybe she wrote for her blue-eyed audience.
— Getrude Gwenzi (@JusG_G) July 11, 2016
Lerato Tshabalala’s article was littered with gross generalisation. Tedious to engage with it further.
— Mamokgethi Molopyane (@Reagoikanya) July 11, 2016
I wonder - now that I've read Lerato Tshabalala's @SundayTimesZA article - whether this lady dates Black guys. I'm just curious. That's all.
— NatefoM (@AkanyangM) July 10, 2016
That Lerato Tshabalala article hurt me more than Penny Sparrow and Andre Slade combined. You just don't expect that from one of your own.
— Mxolisi Zimu (@MxolisiZimu) July 10, 2016