Inside Hlomla Dandala & Pamela Nomvete’s Twitter showdown on xenophobia
Veteran actors Hlomla Dandala and Pamela Nomvete got embroiled in a war of words this week over xenophobia and tolerance of immigrants.
It all started when the former Isidingo actor took to Twitter to share his thoughts on foreign nationals during a recent trip through Johannesburg suburbs Yeoville and Hillbrow.
"Driving through Yeoville and Hillbrow reminds one of how much we’ve lost to foreign African nationals. Call it xenophobia all you like but truth is truth," he wrote on Twitter.
Hlomla's views split followers and caught the attention of Pamela, who is currently in the UK.
The former Generations actress believed Hlomla's views were reckless and gave him a piece of her mind.
You know I am in the UK at the moment and this dangerous way of thinking is prevalent here against "foreigners ". South Africans are included in this. They look at all non British as bringing the quality of the country down. Short sighted and dangerously delusion. Sad
— Pamela Nomvete (@Pamelanomvete) January 9, 2019
So your sentiment is not a healthy one because it breeds this sense of negating our humanity. You attack foreigners at home your people are being attacked as foreigners elsewhere. Respect, tolerance and respect for all human dignity. Not misguided prejudice.
— Pamela Nomvete (@Pamelanomvete) January 9, 2019
Hlomla wasn't about to back down from a fight and hit back at Pamela, telling her that he was referring to "a specific mafia that ruined those neighbourhoods" and to read all of his comments before jumping to conclusions.
Please read more of what I said. There are medium limitations that require multiple tweets to unpack a thought.
— Literate Lion (@HlomlaDandala) January 9, 2019