Culture

South African Hollywood actress, Charlize Theron, in trouble for denigrating Afrikaans language

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2022

South African-born Hollywood actress, Charlize Theron, has run into trouble after she allegedly described her native mother tongue Afrikaans, as “a dying language.”

The popular star has had to face a “mountain of criticism” following the comments she made on the SmartLess podcast ’12 minutes in’, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett on Wednesday, where she explained that she grew up speaking only Afrikaans and then learned English when she was 19, which was why she speaks it with an American accent.

She added that Afrikaans was a “dying language” which was “not very helpful” and spoken by “about 44 people,” according to South African media, adding that “some of the millions who do speak Afrikaans in South Africa were angered,” by Theron’s “denigrating” comments.

An angry critic who took offence with Theron wrote on Twitter and said the language is “not dying… there are new songs and poems being written every day, movies made etc”.

Another Twitter commenter wrote that Theron “forgot where she came from. I am Afrikaans and will never talk bad about my mother tongue language! it is a beautiful language! Lots of people wish they could speak or understand it.”

Afrikaans is one of the widely spoken languages in South Africa but according to some, has been highly politicised with its imposition in schools being the main reason behind the 1976 Soweto uprising against the apartheid regime, in which at least 170 people were killed, mostly schoolchildren.

Wikipedia describes Afrikaans as the mother tongue of 13% of South Africans, mainly mixed-race people known as coloureds, and white South Africans who are the descendants of Dutch, German and French settlers who arrived in the 17th Century.

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Culture

Chidimma Adetshina makes history as she emerges first runner-up for Miss Universe 2024

Published

9 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria’s representative at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico, made history as she finished as the first runner-up at the pageant.

The reigning Miss Universe Nigeria finished on the podium of the event held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Sunday morning after an electrifying final face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women looked poised to claim the crown.

Adetshina, who competed against over 120 contestants from around the world, delivered Nigeria’s best-ever performance in the prestigious competition.

The competition, which was described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe.

A post by the pageant organizers on Instagram said:

“The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.

“Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.”

The top five were rounded out by Miss Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán Figueroa, in third place, along with contestants from Thailand and Venezuela.

This year’s pageant was celebrated as one of the most inclusive in Miss Universe history, featuring first-time entries from Iran and Somalia and an expanded lineup of 30 semifinalists, showcasing greater diversity and global representation.

Chidimma’s path to the Miss Universe Nigeria was controversial at best as she had previously entered the Miss South Africa pageant but withdrew following criticism of her nationality and allegations from South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs concerning her mother’s documents.

She was later invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria and emerged as the winner of the beauty pageant ahead of 24 other contestants.

Culture

Tyla set to drop new single ‘Tears’ on November 20

Published

3 days ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

South African “Ampiona” crooner, Tyla, is set to thrill her fans to her new single titled, “Tears’, which is set to drop on November 20.

According to a statement by her management team, Tyla’s fans should expect something different from the “Water” singer as she is set to release a brand-new single in collaboration with Coke Studio.

“This exciting partnership follows her announcement as part of the Coke Studio 2024 line-up alongside R&B star Usher Raymond in September,” the statement said.

Tyla who is fondly called the “Pretty girl from Joburg,” also took to her Instagram page to share the news with her fans.

Posting a snippet of the video on her Instagram story with the caption, “‘Tears’ coming November 20th! A song in partnership with @CocaCola”, confirming the November release date, she urged her fans to look forward to something different from what they are used to.

The brand has also shared on its social media platforms that Tyla will be performing this highly-anticipated single when she returns to Johannesburg, South Africa, at a special Coke Studio live event.

In an interview with Coke Studio, the 22-year-old singer shared how she breaks away from her original sound with “Tears”.

“I feel like in a lot of my songs, I’m dancing a lot. I really wanted a song where I could just sing, be more raw with people, and showcase my voice this time,” she said.

Snippets from the new single has showcases Tyla’s enchanting vocals, revealing a more vulnerable side that is different from her previous work.

“Breaking away from the amapiano and pop sound she’s best known for, Tyla embarks on an exciting new journey with this project,” one of the reviews said.

“Through “Tears”, she wants to connect with listeners in a raw, captivating way as she partners with Coke Studio to bring this new sound to life.’