‘Put South Africa First’ hecklers have launched a petition for the removal of esteemed broadcaster Bongani Bingwa from Radio 702.
Here’s why Bongani Bingwa is being heckled online
Bingwa holds the weekday breakfast slot on the South African top commercial radio station, and recently, much of his discourse has been centred around the country’s foreign policy in relation to immigrants from neighbouring countries.
On Monday’s main segment, Bingwa introduced conversation around the government’s consideration of an immigration law that would essentially disallow participation of foreign nationals in certain industries.
South Africans only! Job reservation back in our law. President Ramaphosa apparently considering an announcement to exclude foreigners from certain categories of work. Government jumping on the xenophobia bandwagon? What will this mean for investment? #702Breakfast
— Bongani Bingwa (@bonglez) February 7, 2022
The broadcaster received a wave of backlash from pro-xenophobia hecklers who blasted Bingwa for placing the priorities of foreign nationals ahead of local South Africans.
Then, things only got worse on Tuesday, when Bingwa took to social media to blame the South African government for using foreign nationals as scapegoats for their inefficiency.
So are foreigners to blame for our woes? Is a government that has run out of ideas and panicking?
— Bongani Bingwa (@bonglez) February 8, 2022
We’re no safer now than we were in July last year
The ANC the biggest threat to our national security #702Breakfast @Radio702 pic.twitter.com/cEtkxDJ56x
Hecklers boycott Radio 702, want Bingwa axed
This, of course, was not received well by the ‘Put South Africa First’ fictionalists. The group turned to Change.org to launch a petition calling for the removal of Bingwa on South Africa’s radio airwaves.
“Bongani Bingwa has been bashing South Africans & the South African Government on the enforcement of Immigration Laws, and has been subliminally promoting illegal immigration by calling South Africans xenophobic for calling adherence to SA Immigration Laws. He has been misusing the 702 Media Platform to discredit South Africans instead of being fair and balanced in his reporting,” the petition reads.
The petition has, thus far, gained more than 3 364 out of 5 000 signatures.
Radio 702 has yet to issue a response.
Here are some of the reactions we picked out:
@bonglez you call us xenophobic when you see our people loosing jobs everyday, you have overstayed your welcome, go back to your ancestral home in Zimbabwe, Beitbridge is open. Wena Bongani Bingwa us’jwayela kabi your bloody Zimbabwean. How did you get a citizenship? pic.twitter.com/JFEE5Rcta2
— Grace 🌸 (@Gra____ce) February 7, 2022
South Africans let's not listen to Radio 702 until Bongani Bingwa has been removed we can't be expected to listen to someone who is advocating the disrespect of South African immigration laws and SAns in particular.
— Malibongwe Qwashu (@MmQwashu) February 8, 2022
702 Reactionary Blacks up in arms about Bongani Bingwa. Now all of a sudden the man is Zimbabwean. Labelling him Zimbabwean doesn’t help. Improve your argument against his. You’ll grow. I remember when people hated me for joining EFF. Suddenly I came from Lesotho. It’s weak! 😊
— Fana L. Mokoena (@fanamokoena) February 8, 2022
Bongani Bingwa 's show is starting at 6am….lets interrupt his morning breakfast show by calling non-stop to his asking him why is he hating black people so much…… @Radio702 this young man must be replaced, he must do a graveyard slot
— Tshepo Seleka (@seleka10_tshepo) February 8, 2022
Continue in dealing with Bongani Bingwa, I can see he is feeling the heat and his tone has changed a little bit
— Ziyanda (@ZiyaMadlakes) February 8, 2022
