Babalwa says South Africans are xenophobic, defends Burna Boy

Socialite Babalwa Mneno has defended Nigerian musician Burna Boy's comments about SA, claiming that “South Africans are xenophobic”.

Burna Boy sparked massive debate when, in a series of tweets in September, heurged black foreigners living in SA to defend and protect themselves against xenophobic attacks. In a now deleted tweet, he also told rapper AKA to beef up his security, before giving him the middle finger.

He promised to never set foot in SA again until the government “wakes the f*ck up and  really performs a miracle”. However, a month later, he was announced as part of the Africans Unite line-up to “unify all Africans and speak out against femicide”. 

The concert is set to take place this weekend amid calls for it to be boycotted.

Former department of home affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete weighed in on the debate on social media, but got a spicy clapback from Babalwa when he urged Burna Boy to “apologise and keep it moving”.

Barbz did not hesitate to call South Africans xenophobic, before seemingly correcting herself by adding that “majority of South Africans are xenophobic”.

“Majority of South Africans hate and despise nationals from other African states! It’s a fact! You and the rest are in denial, boet! Burna saw vids like everyone else and spoke out for his people”.

When a fan suggested that Burna Boy is a public figure and should be more responsible about what he shares, Barbz questioned if Buran Boy was “speaking on unverified information”.

She then steered the conversation to white people apologising for taking the land.

She said she “mostly” retweets and condemns before verifying if the information is true.

In an earlier tweet, the socialite had stressed that a united Africa was a threat to the whole world.

“A united Africa will be a serious threat to the whole world! This is why they forbid us to unite! These little fights about this Zambian, the Angolan, the Nigerian is what they want to see! Wake up people!” she wrote.