OPINION | Ntsiki Mazwai needs to let other black women and their hair be!

After seeing how Ntsiki Mazwai continues to bash black women who wear wigs and weaves, I’ve decided to also weigh in on the conversation.

Yeah, sure. I am among the many black women who wears two hairstyles on one head - as Ntsiki sarcastically puts it - but I don’t understand how someone can tell a whole nation of grown women what they can and cannot do with their hair.

Ntsiki is known for sparking debates and being at the centre of controversial topics, and this week she was a part of several trending topics. However, I want to talk about her contribution to the hair debate.

Last week Ntsiki shared on Twitter how she was not here for women who brag about their Afros, yet hide under weaves or wigs.

“They brag about the Afro they are hiding under a weave ... You’re wearing a set of hair, sisi. You’re the only woman on the planet who has two hairstyles on one head at the same time,” she wrote.

Can we just breathe for a sec.

Wait, what did you just say?

I mean, if my wig is considered a "hat", it sure is an expensive one - that I bought with my own money.

Secondly, what’s my hairstyle choice got to do with you?

My issue is with the generalising and bashing of black women. Do you even take the time to think and ask yourself why some black women wear wigs?

During a heated debate about a mother complaining that her daughter was sent home from school because of her long braids, Ntsiki tweeted: "You’re a mother in fake hair and complaining that your child can’t have her real hair at school - are you serious?

"Exhibit A is in the mirror: that’s the person who gave whites permission to disrespect our hair. You have shown them that the official standard is white hair.”

*Presses the buzzer*.

Um, no! When you research what kind of hair "we" black women prefer to wear, is it white people’s hair?

What if we think the official standard of hair is Indian, Mongolian, Peruvian, Malaysian or Brazilian hair? Take into consideration these kinds of hair: none of them are white.

Over the weekend Ntsiki took a screenshot of a post from popular actress Zikhona Sodlaka’s Instagram, saying that she was no longer a fan of hers and expressed how disappointed she was about the actress wearing "foreign hair".

Little did she know that Zikhona actually wore the weave for a role she was playing. Why didn’t she reach out to Zikhona and ask why she was "all of a sudden" wearing a weave?

Shortly after seeing her name on the trends list, Zikhona clapped back at Ntsiki by schooling her on the reason why she was wearing a weave.

A grown woman needed to explain herself. Is this necessary?

"I’m also an actress," said Zikhona. "I play long hair, short hair, Afro, dreads. My job is to tell stories of women in all kinds of ways. I myself am bald, but what pays the bills demands change to suit the person I’m playing. That’s why it says #TheChameleon."

This is why I believe, to each their own. If some women want to "idolise" whatever race, let them. You do you.

It’s one thing to be “woke” and want to help a nation, but it’s another to criticise people for their choices.