Phumzile Van Damme says those opposing 'Love Island' complaints can 'write to the human rights commission'
As Love Island SA trends on Twitter for its lack of diversity in its cast, DA MP Phumzile Van Damme says people who have an issue with complaints can “write to the SA Human Rights Commission.”
Love Island is a dating reality show and is popular globally.
Its franchise has had spin-offs in the UK and US among other countries. South Africans were left disappointed with the first episode of the highly anticipated local spin-off, especially the cast, which only had two black people and one coloured man.
Not everyone saw a problem with the cast, but Van Damme said the lack of diversity was too obvious to ignore.
Y’all are really upset over Love Island? LOVE ISLAND? Hhay’ nokho. It’s a crap cast for a crappy trashy TV show. Now some are upset because people pointing out the lack of diversity, a fact, in the cast. You have time & feelings to waste over the most banal of things. Rest. pic.twitter.com/n0aKjDOiQS
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) March 1, 2021
Sbu Mpungose, a spokesperson for DStv told TshisaLIVE that the channel “prides itself in reflecting diversity and inclusion” in its shows. She said viewers can expect more diversity in upcoming episodes of Love Island.
On Twitter, many said the show failed to meet their expectations while others dubbed it 'Love Island Orania,' a jab at the Afrikaaner town in the Northern Cape province.
Here's what was said on social media:
It’s ridiculous. A competition about immorality. We got Moja Love fam. Lets embarrass each other there.
— RealityStrikes (@RealityStriker) March 1, 2021
i know there’s no point in shaming the shameless but love island SA really has no shame at all 😭
— streets is finito (@finecorleone) March 1, 2021
This is what SA Love Island should look like https://t.co/7LFzKo4EBa
— G-$tackz (@Gershforthewin) March 2, 2021
Love Island SA is an absolute fail. Yoh
— Turkish 🇲🇦 (@chazzington_) March 1, 2021
This is what I thought Love Island SA was going to be https://t.co/tTtld742VA
— caryn welby-solomon (@carynwelbys) March 2, 2021
Someone said "love Island Orania" I'm still laughing 😂#LoveIslandSA
— Sthembiso Ngcobo (@Wolf_Kapitol) March 2, 2021
eh yona ke love island orania
— 𝖍𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖘𝖎🦋 (@ilovehlatsi) March 2, 2021