Media mogul Basetsana Kumalo topped the trend list on Wednesday after an old interview with current Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi resurfaced on Twitter.
Kumalo is said to be "very rude and belittling" in the interview.
A Twitter user, who goes by the name King GqaKhwe, posted an old video clip from the Presenter Search competition where Tunzi, who was one of the contestants, interviewed Kumalo.
"Universe is an Amazing space.....Sometime back Basetsane belittle Zozibini & ws very rude 2her during the interview. Im interested 2hear her now dat She is #MissUnivers2019," tweeted @gqakhwe.
Universe is an Amazing space.....Sometime back Basetsane belittle Zozibini & ws very rude 2her during the interview. Im interested 2hear her now dat She is #MissUnivers2019 @basetsanakumalo @ntsikimazwai @zozitunzi @uNdlunkulu_Xoli @Anele pic.twitter.com/Od4EppKEDE
— King GqaKhwe (@gqakhwe) December 11, 2019
During the introduction, Kumalo insisted that Tunzi refer her as “Mama B’ despite Tunzi referring to her as “sisi,” “mama” and “queen”
“You gotta call me Mama B darling, I’m as old as your mother, probably,” said Kumalo.
“That is what I wanted to address because I don’t know whether to call you Queen or to curtsy,” responded Tunzi.
Tunzi went on to ask another question regarding what went through Kumalo's mind when she won the Miss South Africa in 2014. She specifically asked Kumalo what was her "train of thought" during that process.
To which Kumalo responded: “Well...train of thought? It's a very strange question, by the way, to ask somebody. ‘What was your train of thought?' but, anyway, let me indulge you.”
Though some dragged the former Miss SA for her comments, others came to her defense, insisting that Kumalo was not rude.
You are being unnecessarily mischievous. As a former #PSO3 judge, i can tell you for free, that they are deliberately put through their paces, and such “difficult” interviews, to better prepare them for when they have the gig!! There is nothing here!!
— DJ Fresh (Big Dawg) (@DJFreshSA) December 11, 2019
Guys, I remember this, these were auditions and they had to throw all of them off balance. @basetsanakumalo even struggled to do more. She was supposed to throw bombs at her. Come on now. And even back then she kept her cool for these auditions. But SA?! Yo!
— MbaliLegacy (@MbaliLegacy) December 11, 2019
I could be wrong, but wasn't this interview one of the presenter search tasks and the guests gets briefed to be intentional difficult, just saw the "presenting candidates" learn how to deal with different types of guests in a show? I think that's what this was.
— Gugu Dube (@mnisim) December 11, 2019
I must be strange because I don't find anything or malicious about Basetsana's line of answering to Zozi. We all know the way mama B articulates herself & these Presenter Search shows are made to put pressure & teach the candidates which is what she's doing. Stop this guys.
— B U L E L W A (@thehoneybeee__) December 11, 2019