WATCH | White siSwati-speaking woman shuts down 'gossipers'

Hey, I understand what you're saying!

13 February 2019 - 14:10 By Nonkululeko Njilo
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Image: 123RF/denispc

South Africans on Wednesday applauded a young white woman who posted a video of herself offering advice in siSwati on showing kindness towards people, instead of gossiping with the assumption that they cannot be understood. 

In a two-minute video that has been viewed over 6,000 times already, the young woman, speaking siSwati, says black South Africans often gossip in front of white people because they assume that they do not understand any African languages.

"The time to gossip, people, is over. People gossip about us [white people] a lot ... They don’t always say bad things; it is sometimes good things - but it’s not necessary," she says in the video. 

The woman recounts how she sometimes overhears people gossiping about her when she is shopping - and how they express shock when she confronts them.

"People bite their tongue when I confront them about gossiping … Sometimes I keep quiet, but when a person is out of order I confront and answer them accordingly - and they regret it because it’s not necessary," she says in the video.   

She urges people to love one another. "Everyone has their story: where they come from, how they live and how they were taught … We work and interact with people. We are together - nothing will change ... We must not look at people and judge them," she says.

"We only live once. Let us make life worthwhile … Let us have patience and love, please."


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