MacG and Co. to undergo LGBT diversity training

MacGyver “MacG” Mukwevho and the rest of the Podcast and Chill team are set to undergo diversity training with regards to issues faced by the LGBTIQ+ community, following their recent gaffes on air.

This is according to MacG himself who recently hosted a sit down with trans activist Yaya Mavundla, after his show came under fire for transphobic comments made by MacG’s co-host Sol Phenduka.

“We’re going to go for that diversity training and we’re going to continue to learn more and empower ourselves and hopefully we can bring other people, other chillers as well, who were just like us, ignorant, on the journey of learning.”

The decision comes after a conversation with LGBTIQ+ rights activist and co-founder of the Feathers Awards Thami Kotlolo (popularly known as Thami Dish) who offered to facilitate the process.

So @MacGUnleashed you just never learn neh…@Yfm fired you for homophobic comments now you’re back with @Solphendukaa doing the same thing????????‍♂️ @OldMutualSA apparently you sponsor such…we need to talk. ASAP. https://t.co/vzlDmtFo4V

— Thami Dish (@ThamiDish) January 26, 2021

Along with the episode, MacG released an official apology acknowledging their comments as “homophobic, transphobic and distasteful.”

The channel then extended an apology to the LGBTIQ+ community, their fans, and their sponsors.

They further acknowledged the struggles faced by the community and swore an oath to do better with the platform they control moving forward.

https://t.co/IQudbrpX4R pic.twitter.com/BWpPCD1mLI

— Podcast with MacG (@podcastwithmacg) January 29, 2021

RELATED: MacG saga sparks conversation on homophobia as celebs choose sides

According to MacG, the episode featuring Mavundla was also supposed to feature other queer people who had been invited to the channel. However, they had declined the invitation.

Dear MacG

Your freedom stops where mine begins.

Your jokes are a matter of life or death for me and those like me.

It’s as simple as that

— Beverley Ditsie (@bevditsie) January 26, 2021

Shortly after the backlash, Old Mutual announced its decision to cut ties with MacG and the podcast.

“Old Mutual has seen the discussion that took place on MacG’s podcast. As a responsible business that fully respects the rights of everyone, we have decided to terminate the relationship with MacG with immediate effect,” said the company in a statement.

The company further labelled the commentary “ignorant and insensitive” and stated that the fact that it had even occurred proves that much education needs to happen.

MacG was also recently announced as part of a list of creators from across the African continent who were chosen as part of YouTube’s inaugural class of African content creators who were set to receive a grant for the development of their channels from the global YouTube Black Voices Fund.

Following the backlash, there were calls from the LGBTIQ+ community and their allies for MacG to be de-platformed.

Many even went as far as distributing the details of companies MacG is linked to, along with a request for these companies to cut ties with the content creator.

YouTube has not yet released a statement on the matter.

Watch the episode below:

READ NEXT: Trans rights activist Yaya Mavundla takes aim at MacG and Sol Phenduka

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