Upon watching the Comrades Marathon on Sunday, June 9, radio personality Gareth Cliff, poked fun at the mayor of Msunduduzi Local Municipality in Pietermaritzburg, Mzimkhulu Thebolia.
This year, the 97th Comrades Marathon started at Durban City Hall and ended at Hollywood Bets Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg.
As customary, the mayor handed out medals to the winners.
In a post on X platform, Cliff made remarks about the mayor’s noticeable stomach. His post also made playful jabs at the runners, referring to them as, “wizened, leather runners.”
Within two hours, the post received over 300 likes.
“How lovely to see the fat mayor of Pietermaritzburg, with his big gunt handing over prizes to wizened, leather runners at the Comrades, ” he wrote.
How lovely to see the fat mayor of Pietermaritzburg, with his big gunt handing over prizes to wizened, leather runners at the Comrades ? pic.twitter.com/5VMZG57k04
— Gareth Cliff (@GarethCliff) June 9, 2024
Despite the likes, many X users were displeased with his body-shaming comments and expressed their disapproval openly.
Take a look at these comments:
“As much as I hate the gravy train, this post is a bit unfair Gareth. He ran for mayor. Not medals.”
“We don’t do body shaming here.”
“I never did like you ever cliff..why are you body shamming?”
“I have always maintained this Gareth guy is racist and arrogant, now he is body shaming the man for no apparent reason.”
Compiled by Lauren Petersen
Published first on African Insider
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