Bianca Schoombee & Zozibini Tunzi trend over gifts and old tweets - here's how it all unfolded
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Image: Instagram/Bianca Schoombee
Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi and former Miss SA hopeful Bianca Schoombee trended on Twitter at the weekend. Here's why:
Bianca Schoombee
The disgraced model shared on her Instagram stories that various beauty brands had sent her gifts and messages of encouragement amid public condemnation of old racist tweets that re-emerged recently.
One of the brands was Sorbet, which according to the package shared by Bianca, sent her hair products. In a separate post, Bianca thanked “everyone who has been sending me so much love and support”, and the “brands that have been sending me words of encouragement and the cutest gift packages”.
The screen shots of her posts circulated on Twitter as many weighed in on how the model was being “rewarded for racism”.
I need a new place to do my nails from Level 2 or 1. @SorbetDrybar @SorbetGroup are not in the business of condemning racism, if anything they celebrate it in private. Any recommendations South Africa especially around Pretoria? #SorbetMustFall #EFFPresser #blacktwitterSA #Bianca pic.twitter.com/16vKLWAFXv
— AfropolitanWanderer (@AfropolitanW) May 29, 2020
#SorbetMustFall
It didn't take long for tweeps to declare they would boycott the brand for its association with “racist Schoombee”.
There are companies which are difficult to boycott. For example, large retail chains. Sorbet has a lot of competitors that are even better than them. We can boycott the whole @SorbetGroup for supporting Bianca Schoombee and be just fine.#boycottSorbet #SorbetMustFall
— Neo (@Neo_url) May 30, 2020
Any sane South African who hates racism should pull their business from these clowns how can they reward racism. Many will do it hoping for these spoils. #SorbetMustFall pic.twitter.com/PSeZnfleTb
— MfokaDube (@Noxza_dube) May 29, 2020
#SorbetMustFall Am never stepping into Sorbet ever again, never! Bianca can give them all the business they need @SorbetDrybar @SorbetGroup
— ThandekaLo (@ThandekaLo) May 29, 2020
Sorbet & other brands sending Missed SA Bianca promo spoils is exactly the kind of devoid of intergrity shit I expect from all brands.And why y’all will always be clowns for caping for abelungu. Fallist hashtags are the only “punishment” they are ever likely to face if any at all pic.twitter.com/YeFTOQuyE9
— Do I pay your rent?! (@MissNomaM) May 28, 2020
Sorbet clarifies
In its subsequent statement, Sorbet said the package was part of its “regular engagement programme” with some of its social media influencers, and it was sent before Bianca's old tweets resurfaced two weeks ago.
Dear Sorbet Community, we arranged this delivery to 73 people on 15th May. It was collected by the courier on 18th May. Had we known about the offensive tweets, the pack would never have been sent. We deeply regret that this has happened. pic.twitter.com/fw4RY0HKhB
— Sorbet Group (@SorbetGroup) May 30, 2020
Zozibini Tunzi under fire for old, offensive tweets
Schoombee's scandal prompted Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi to reflect on her own past by issuing an apology, saying while she is a role model for many young women, she is not perfect.
Unlike Schoombee, Zozi came clean about her old Facebook posts in which she made a mockery of dark skinned women and sex workers. She admitted that the posts were “insensitive” and that she should not have shared them.
Twitter was divided on this one. Some said she should receive the same condemnation that Bianca did, while others chose to come to her defence.
Here are some responses to #HandsOffZozi:
In support:
If it was Trevor Noah that said yall look like Duracell we'd be laughing to death here entlek i even forgot what i wanted to say but know that Ke Universe ya Zozi ye,she can say what she likes long as it's not provocative,if the 2012 shoe Fote wear it and move . #HandsOffZozi pic.twitter.com/ll7oIAQ6NK
— Jane Van Potgieter🇿🇦. (@ManuRams_) May 30, 2020
Zozi made distasteful "jokes", no one can argue against that, but she also brought those Facebook posts to light herself, she apologised for then immediately. She didnt wait for people to dig them up. Dont ever compare bad jokes to racist jokes.#handsoffzozi
— MPHO 🌻 (@IG_Dash_Kaay) May 30, 2020
Dark skinned Zozi dissing Dark skinned girls is not racist at all , it’s like a black man calling another black man a nigga.#HandsOffZozi
— Simmy Rockstar (@Simphiwe_Mnyand) May 30, 2020
Mamela for Zozi it will be a fight to the death. She's our very own lona, we stand by her. We can't let the other race devide us. And yes I'm not ashamed to say I stand by her coz she's Black. #handsoffzozi pic.twitter.com/gkbXeYH3B9
— Constance Nkanyani (@CNkanyani) May 30, 2020
Against:
#HandsOffZozi
— Ntshieng 🇿🇦#JusticeforCollinsKhosa (@Ntshieng17) May 30, 2020
2 things i would like to raise here
1. These posts ain't different to those of Bianca, but because of double standards
The first thing to trend was #HandsOffZozi not must fall and Zozi was 18 then
2. Can we stop digging up people's past just to destroy them pic.twitter.com/Gqu2bGGrB3
The gag about the Zozi thing is, Bianca did the exact same thing. Literally nothing is different 😭 will we let it slide just bc it's Zozi? You betcha!
— Ok Mma (@Mmakgosidarling) May 30, 2020
This racism and double standards in SA is sickening. So now it's #handsoffZozi because of skin colour? Bianca had to be crucified for for what zozi did. That's why our politicians have succeeded in using race card to continue looting, we lack sense when comes it.
— SITHALE✍🏿 (@SithaleKgaogelo) May 30, 2020
🤮🤮🤮🤮 pic.twitter.com/CpXNRPIdPO
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Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.