Addressing a petition calling for Adetshina to be banned from participating in the beauty competition, DJ Sbu said the energy could have been better spent on positive projects.
“Your petition, you said it is standing at 10,000 people or more. Imagine if you had started a petition to build a school in your community. Imagine if you had started a petition to raise money for a bursary for your child, for your sister, for your cousin, for yourself. Imagine if you had started an initiative to build a community centre, or imagine if you started a petition to do something positive,” he said.
A counter petition has been started by Lindiwe Tom Mthethwa showing support for Adetshina. The petition gained 215 signatures by Wednesday morning.
“Adetshina is a vibrant, dynamic and inspiring individual who has proved herself worthy of being a contestant in the 2024 Miss SA pageant. However, unjustifiable discrimination and disqualification threats loom over her participation. There are no valid reasons for this resistance, and we stand unwavering in her defence. SA is a diverse nation that encourages representation of every woman, regardless of her race, age and background,” the petition reads.
DJ Sbu said there was irony in the criticism of Adetshina.
“You are focusing your negativity on a young lady and you are hoping she's not going to do well. All you are doing is to promote Miss SA,” he said.
“You are focusing on saying people must boycott Mofaya as the energy drink is one of the sponsors. All you are doing is to market Mofaya to even more eyeballs, to more people. The fact that you're focusing on hating on this young lady so bad, you've popularised her. You've made her a celebrity.
“How many of your political leaders, how many of your favourite celebrities, how many of your actors, actresses, musicians, politicians, business people have parents who don't come from SA? By the way, I'm one of them. Though my parents were born in SA, my father's father is not from here. Are you going to boycott me?” he asked.
As the Miss SA 2024 event approaches, DJ Sbu expressed his support for all the contestants and his commitment to fostering a positive environment.
“I want to wish all the contestants a great Miss SA 2024. I’ll be dressed up to the nines with my daughter who’s going to be my date,” he said, encouraging young South Africans to dream big and ignore detractors.
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DJ Sbu defends Miss SA contestant, calls for positive energy
‘My parents were born in SA, but my father’s father is not from here. Are you going to boycott me?’
DJ Sbu has defended Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina against the wave of criticism she has faced.
Adetshina has been receiving backlash on social media due to her bloodline. Born at Soweto's Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, her father is Nigerian and her mother is of Mozambican descent.
In a video posted on YouTube, DJ Sbu, co founder of the energy drink Mofaya, addressed what he perceives as “selective outrage” among South Africans, and urged for a shift towards positive energy and constructive actions.
“I think we've got selective outrage,” he said.
“Sometimes we focus our energies where we're not supposed to be focusing our energies. What would it help a man to hate on a young [lady] who is pursuing a future, who was born in SA and who entered Miss SA legitimately through her South African barcoded green ID?” he asked.
Mofaya is an official sponsor of Miss SA. The partnership was announced last year.
Addressing a petition calling for Adetshina to be banned from participating in the beauty competition, DJ Sbu said the energy could have been better spent on positive projects.
“Your petition, you said it is standing at 10,000 people or more. Imagine if you had started a petition to build a school in your community. Imagine if you had started a petition to raise money for a bursary for your child, for your sister, for your cousin, for yourself. Imagine if you had started an initiative to build a community centre, or imagine if you started a petition to do something positive,” he said.
A counter petition has been started by Lindiwe Tom Mthethwa showing support for Adetshina. The petition gained 215 signatures by Wednesday morning.
“Adetshina is a vibrant, dynamic and inspiring individual who has proved herself worthy of being a contestant in the 2024 Miss SA pageant. However, unjustifiable discrimination and disqualification threats loom over her participation. There are no valid reasons for this resistance, and we stand unwavering in her defence. SA is a diverse nation that encourages representation of every woman, regardless of her race, age and background,” the petition reads.
DJ Sbu said there was irony in the criticism of Adetshina.
“You are focusing your negativity on a young lady and you are hoping she's not going to do well. All you are doing is to promote Miss SA,” he said.
“You are focusing on saying people must boycott Mofaya as the energy drink is one of the sponsors. All you are doing is to market Mofaya to even more eyeballs, to more people. The fact that you're focusing on hating on this young lady so bad, you've popularised her. You've made her a celebrity.
“How many of your political leaders, how many of your favourite celebrities, how many of your actors, actresses, musicians, politicians, business people have parents who don't come from SA? By the way, I'm one of them. Though my parents were born in SA, my father's father is not from here. Are you going to boycott me?” he asked.
As the Miss SA 2024 event approaches, DJ Sbu expressed his support for all the contestants and his commitment to fostering a positive environment.
“I want to wish all the contestants a great Miss SA 2024. I’ll be dressed up to the nines with my daughter who’s going to be my date,” he said, encouraging young South Africans to dream big and ignore detractors.
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