Sebenza Women Awards founder, Kininonke “Kini” Shandu known for his role in the popular series Umkhokha: The Curse, has made headlines once again, this time for the right reasons.
Following controversial remarks that led to social media backlash for being sexist and misogynistic, Kini has issued a public apology and is now redirecting his efforts towards a positive cause: the Sebenza Women’s Awards.
According to IOL, Kini made controversial remarks about women with children out of wedlock, suggesting they bring shame to their families and implying that men should be cautious about paying “damages” for such women, in a now-deleted Facebook post.
This sparked outrage, especially given that Kini co-founded the Sebenza Women’s Awards, a platform meant to celebrate women. The irony of his comments led to his suspension from the awards.
ZiMOJA states that despite the backlash, the Sebenza Women’s Awards are returning. Kini has apologised and taken full responsibility.
He was suspended, donated sanitary pads, and issued a video apology. However, Kini denied reports of losing major sponsors, attributing them to misinformation, and clarified that he was demoted from his project manager role, which has now been filled by Gugu Mandonsela. Kini expressed satisfaction with the revival of the awards and his continued involvement.
“It only makes sense to have a strong, powerful woman on the front line. We are happy to be back and to be able to award women who are making a difference in our country and I am glad still to be part of the awards despite my demotion,” he told the publication.
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