Social media users call for Oneida Cooper’s head after Bianca Schoombee bows out of Miss SA race

By Kaunda Selisho

South African social media users have called for nearly everything to fall since the beginning of the lockdown.

Among the things they would like to see fall are things, organisations and people such as AKA, DStv, eNCA, Bianca Schoombee, Simphiwe Dana, the coronavirus, Eskom, fees and data.

Another Miss South Africa hopeful, Oneida Cooper, was added to that list after fellow pageant entrant Schoombee felt the wrath of social media after old, racist tweets of hers were unearthed.

Cooper is a former national competitive swimmer and psychologist. She is also the long-time girlfriend of popular DJ Lesego “DJ Speedsta” Nkaiseng.

Many believe Cooper’s Miss SA entry should also not be considered because she is fond of using the racial-slur-turned-colloquialism “niggah”.

Many mistakenly believe Cooper is a white woman while others hold the belief that even though she is a coloured woman, she is not allowed to use the term.

At the time of writing, Cooper chose to ignore those who questioned her stance and opted to instead retweet another user who said “cultural context changes everything”.

Miss SA organisers issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying that organisers had not yet announced a panel of judges nor had they evaluated any of the entries received as the closing date for entries had not yet lapsed.

This after Schoombee was referred to as a “Miss SA contestant” in press coverage of her Twitter scandal.

Miss South Africa CEO Stephanie Weil said: “There is good governance in place to ensure that Miss South Africa finalists and semi-finalists align with our values. Our rules state that any semi-finalist or finalist may not have been involved in any unsavoury or unethical incidents or conduct that may bring the organisers or the Miss South Africa pageant into disrepute.

“Unsavoury or unethical conduct includes, but is not limited to, bribery, racism, sexism, slander or libel.”

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