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‘Deeply troubling’: Stormers players criticised for dancing to ‘racist’ song

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‘Deeply troubling’: Stormers players criticised for dancing to ‘racist’ song

Stormers players Dweba and Dayimani have been criticised for dancing to the song ‘Habibi (Quantum Sound)’, containing a racial slur.

Joseph Dweba of Stormers gets his pass away during the United Rugby Championship 2022/23 match between Stormers and Llanelli Scarlets held at Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa on 25 November 2022 ©Shaun Roy/BackpagePix

Stormers players Joseph Dweba, Hacjivah Dayimani, and others have been criticised over a clip of them dancing to amapiano song Habibi (Quantum Sound) by Sizwe Nineteen, which has been accused of having “racist” lyrics.

The club posted the video on social media.

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On Saturday, the Stormers lost 21 -27 against Ospreys at their home stadium.

STORMERS PLAYERS CRITICISED OVER ‘RACIST SONG’

In the social media post, the Stormers shared a look at their pregame workout on the pitch.

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In the clip, Joseph Dweba, Hacjivah Daiymani, Sazi Sandi, and Scarra Ntubeni are seen dancing to the popular track Habibi (Quantum Sound) by amapiano artist Sizwe Nineteen.

The South African song features a sample by the Hinidi song Patakha Guddi from the 2014 movie Highway.

While Dweba sings along to the lyrics, Dayimani performs a few “Bollywood” inspired dance moves.

The post was captioned: “The vibes at the DHL Stadium are unmatched.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by DHL Stormers (@dhlstormers)

 

In the comment section, Stormers fans were clearly amused by the players’ antics.

However, a few criticised the song choice, which contained the word “makula,” used to describe people of Indian origin, derived from the racial slur “coolie”

@prophetnelsonironside: “This song is deeply troubling, as it comes across as disrespectful and racially insensitive. It’s important to be mindful of the impact our words and actions can have on others. This song clearly falls short in promoting respect and understanding. It’s evident that they are fully aware of the negative connotations associated with the term.”

 

@bigahmed: “This song is a little racist. As a “Makula” Stormers fan, I feel attacked!”

@sbmoeleme: “Isn’t this song like … racist?

@neo_nashking: “The lyrics in this song are racist.”

@katleho_twala: “This song should be banned! A white person might as well make a song with the K-word”.

WHAT DOES THE WORD MEAN?

According to the Dictionary of South African English, “makula” is defined as an “insulting name for people of Indian origin.”

The word is derived from the racial slur “coolie”, which was used to refer to Indian immigrants during the Apartheid regime.

In 2011, Julius Malema – then the president of the ANC Youth League – apologised for using the word “makula” in a public address.

According to the outspoken politician, he claimed he was unaware that the term was “offensive.” During his speech, Malema had claimed that black children should be allowed to attend schools with children of “makula.”

Apologising, he said: “It was not my aim to hurt the Indian people.

“Where I grew up in Limpopo and, I think, in other areas, the word is used to refer to Indians, and nobody has ever said it is offensive

“If you were listening to things I was saying, you will be able to tell that I did not intend to harm Indians. But I am sorry that some people might have been hurt.”

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