Actor Tumisho Masha faced backlash on social media after calling Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng a “straatmeit” while questioning her suitability to become Johannesburg’s next mayor.
The Afrikaans-derived slang term can refer to a streetwise girl or woman and can carry a derogatory connotation.
Masha criticised Mofokeng’s mayoral campaign, arguing that her professional achievements did not demonstrate that she could address the city’s pressing challenges.
“You keep shoving your bio down our throats, but can’t answer basic questions about what we really need to fix Joburg,” Masha said in a social media post.
The actor also questioned whether Mofokeng’s experience in public health and human rights equipped her to lead the city.
He later doubled down on his criticism, saying she needed to focus on the concerns of the people she hoped to represent.
“Your problem is you act like a straatmeit instead of a mayoral candidate. Address the issues that are important to the constituency you are campaigning to serve. Being a politician doesn’t make you more important than The People. Never forget that. Mxm, a whole doctor,” he said.
His remarks drew criticism from Sefu Sekgala, who accused the actor of being abusive and urged him to treat Mofokeng with respect.
“Tumisho, you sound very abusive. Dr Tlaleng is not your ex. Imagine if you're able to call such an outstanding leader of society a straatmeit, I can't imagine the torment you unleash to women in your life. Please be respectful to women. This is disappointing, Tumisho. Shame, man,” Sekgala said.
Feminist and writer Robyn Porteous also defended Mofokeng, arguing that her qualifications made her more than capable of taking on the position.
“Chap, if anything, the doctor is overqualified for the position. What is your problem?” Porteous asked.
Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng fires back with her credentials
Mofokeng responded by highlighting her extensive international experience in public health and human rights, pushing back against questions about her professional credentials.
“The United Nations appointed me as an expert for six years, with all of this in the public domain, as UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health,” she said.
She also pointed to her work on sexual and reproductive health, including a report to the UN General Assembly on the impact of Covid-19, her service as a commissioner at the Commission for Gender Equality and her contributions to the World Health Organisation’s Human Reproduction Special Programme strategy.
In 2016, she said, she became the first civil society member to make a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on safe sexual and reproductive healthcare on behalf of 264 organisations.
“This is a summary!” she said, emphasising that her list of professional achievements was not exhaustive.
Mofokeng is up against several political heavyweights in the Johannesburg mayoral race, including Democratic Alliance (DA) candidate Helen Zille, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, MK Party candidate Bongani Baloyi, Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene and RISE Mzansi’s Lukhona Mnguni.
Other contenders include IFP candidate Mlungisi Mabaso, BOSA’s Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, Al Jama-ah’s Shireen Ebrahim and Land Party candidate Ntsiki Mazwai.
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