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RECENTLY on my radio show I wanted to find out from our listeners what stereotypes make their blood boil.

The hilarity of the responses evoked such laughter that I am compelled to share what came out.

Firstly, I got my knickers in a knot about the stereotype that being an affirmative action appointee means one lacks brains and qualifications. As a proud affirmative action supporter and beneficiary, I am delighted that I have the opportunity to apply my talent and what I learnt at university and various broadcasting institutions.

I have found that when listeners disagree with something I say, they quickly remind me that were it not for affirmative action, I would not be behind the microphone. I say they are right!

But of course what they mean is that I lack the intelligence and training to do my job. How wrong.

I also bemoaned the oft-repeated stereotype that "South Africans are lazy!" Excuse me? This economy was built on the back of exploited South Africans, who toiled the mines and farms at great risk to themselves, in search of the earth's bountiful resources.

The factories across this land were operated by men and women who caught trains at the crack of dawn, producing goods that they could not afford with their meagre salaries. So don't talk to me about South Africans being lazy!

Let's not forget the appalling misogynistic stereotype that women who wear mini-skirts are asking for it.

Once we got the serious stuff out of the way, we really delved into the stereotypes that make us unique as people and are a source of good-natured laughter.

A Limpopo woman says she hates the stereotype that people from that region are ZCC members.

A Xhosa-speaking woman lamented that other women look at her with grave suspicion because Xhosa women are known to steal other women's boyfriends and husbands.

A Shangaan male phoned to assure us that he is not well hung and lacks the ability to keep going the whole night!

My male listeners were relieved that the competition is not that stiff.

But a brave white man told us that the stereotype that bugs him is that all white men have small packages but in his case it is true. I swear he said this.

A Venda caller also debunked the myth that all Venda and Shangaan people drink Fanta Orange, Pine Nut and Iron Brew soft drinks.

An Indian woman said her nerves are rattled when people assume she is Muslim or a Taliban supporter.

A Jewish listener was emphatic that not all Jews are rich and stingy.

We learnt in this conversation that not all Portuguese own a fish and chips shop.

A white woman set the record straight that white people do actually get cold when it is cold! She also dismissed the assumption that all white people like to have their dogs in bed with them when they sleep.

I learnt of a new stereotype from a comment posted on twitter that: "If you are from Mpumalanga you must have cheated in your matric exam!"

Brandon phoned us to say: "Redi, I am Coloured, I don't speak Afrikaans, I don't come from Eldos and most importantly I have all my front teeth." Yes sir, I replied!

Clara informed us that her big bugbear is the belief that feminists all have hairy armpits and hate men. Well I know a few that do (have hairy armpits) but, hey, that's beside the point.

Another Indian caller argued that not every Indian is looking to cut a deal! No one believed him!

A Lesotho national poured scorn over the stereotype that all Basotho wear blankets and ride horses all the time!

As expected we had some Nigerians telling us that contrary to popular belief, they are not all drug lords.

We had a great laugh over the stupid things we believe about each other and that is exactly what stereotypes are: popular beliefs based on assumptions.

Let's not forget to separate them from reality.

Comments

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Fri May 24 23:12:00 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 12, 2011

KUKU

I can critisize/comment much better than you...nxa....
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Aug 12, 2011

Galfrend

For some reason I couldnt comment here ,anyway.

bhwahahahahahaaaaaaaa,you have opend a can of worms Redi...lol


A Venda caller also debunked the myth that all Venda and Shangaan people drink Fanta Orange, Pine Nut and Iron Brew soft drinks-This made me laugh so much...bhwahahahaaaa
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Aug 12, 2011

Socrates

Redi has the Eric issue softened you to come up with this..anyway stereotypes are alive and people believe them.
You forgot to mention Zulu guys are arrogant and they think ba a shaya until you break all his teeth.
Xhosa women...
Coloured girls...
Nigerians...
Afrikaaners...
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Aug 12, 2011

Nasty-Bis

Mxm !.nx
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Aug 12, 2011

KhosanXX

You can't actually cannot refer to somebody as a coloured if he or she did not declare it. There are no classification laws in South Africa as they have all been abolished. So any reference to coloured is based on stereotyping. There are many indigeous Africans of mixed blood who simply hate being referred to as a coloured and I am counted amongst them. Call me, African, call Black, call me Bruin - I don't have a pain. But, call me coloured; it causes me great pain and for the tears of my ancestral shame. Don't call be me coloured, please unless I declare myself to you.
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Aug 12, 2011

KUKU

Zulu men
Their pi*pi's are wearing bottlenecks or must i say necklaces cause they don't circumcise.

Zulu women
They bath only on Christmas and Easter Friday

Xhosa woman
They are all prostitude, it's part of their adolescent stage and culture. They steal, cheat everything negative and they all out smnakes in their KUKU's so that that snake can give a man blowjob when he slepp with a Xhosa.
They have kids all over, when abondend their kids with the father and after 25 years go to Khumbulaekhaya to claim the was taken away from her by force and lost contact.

Pedi
We all use muti and stupid espaecially with our acsent..ppl find it funny
Our careers are teaching, Police etc

Tswana woman
Very very stupid - don't have back bone, no brains. All take a caree in domestic working. They are nanny's garden boys etc

Tswana men
Too soft they are all gays

Vendas
All ugly - big nose, lips, eyes...everything is just big. Their acsent sounds like they are swearing. No fullstop, comma, qauetionmark, just swearing swearing.

Tsonga
Looks like they are born in planet mars - no civilisation. Wear rainbow colours, marry multiple wives, no education, eat masonja, drink murula home made drink,


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Aug 12, 2011

LERATOLANNA

You know shangaan boys rocks papa, a tourist from britain visited Giyani in limpopo with his wife when he was asleep the wife had s*x eith a shangaani men and the following day when they were suppose to go back to Britain she said to the husband " hey min ni kumile nuna hala south Afrika ne ba rungula a kaya" meaning i now find a man in south africa great every one at home. chaoo.
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Aug 12, 2011

mamaThando

Redi nobubi
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Aug 12, 2011

tpaz

women who wear mini-skirts are asking for it- FACT!
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Aug 12, 2011

Mdaniso22

You made my day Mrs Tlhabi...I am in stiches. A Ndebele friend often says that if loose your woman to a Shangaan, forget it!!!
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