“Kaffirs! Kaffirs! KAAAFFFFIIIIRRRRSSSS!” We eventually turn around and look back at the guys drinking on the bakkie before the game kicks off. “QUOTA SYSTEM!!!” We hang our heads and walk away, being a group of high school kids trying to raise funds for a tour to Argentina there’s no point in our saying anything back. Our coaches made sure not to forget the tell “us guys” that people were going to say ugly stuff and we were to just forget about it and carry on. Pretoria bly Pretoria, nie Tshwane nie! Pretoria!
Tuks FM have attempted to make a viral campaign via the use of Nazism. Apparently the point is to stand somewhere ridiculous, hold ones right arm out and fake a Hitler moustache with the other hand and have ones picture taken. Although this is not entirely unexpected from a city that boasted old South African flags every time they played the song Delaray at Loftus Versveld rugby stadium, it still does hit a new element of low. Are the youth of the city that far deprived of meaningful engagement with one another that the only recreation they find suitable is that of condoning and enabling hate? Nazi-ing apparently is the stations reply to planking. Yeah genii both suggestions are retarded but the difference is that planking does not perpetuate abhorrence of one to another.
Tuks Fm is based on the city’s university which means it is focused on the youth, what message is this sending out. Get their mushy minds now? Radicalize now, so they can mobilize later? Get them to admit the military genius of Hitler so that they can appreciate him as a genius in other measures? This may all seem like a stupid attempt to go viral on a whim but the truth lies behind the real coded message being sent out. The blog post that caused such a stir was only taken down a day later after Tuks FM listeners were up in arms via social media networks. The radio station did not issue an official apology though. Why retract and not apologise? Oh yeah because apparently the listeners did not understand the joke without context. Here’s a few jokes with context:
Afrikaans people are like rope; thick and hairy.
All the black people in our family tree are still hanging in the backyard.
Hitler: Today we’re going to play squash! Hans start the steam roller!
With the three jokes above which of them are slightly offensive and which are completely insensitive? According to history life was considered cheap for some. If you’re going to make fun of an atrocity make sure your context is clear for all to understand and have a point to your joke, otherwise you just become labeled a bigot and give the hood you’re repping a bad name. I would like to extend a huge Fuck You to both PJ Van Rooyen and Rob Forbes for once again fucking up the reputation of Pretoria. I had gotten people to believe that the racial tension was as relaxed as that of Jo’burg give or take a few designated whites only zones and curfews. Now you’ve put us right back to Bloemfontein.
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