DJ Shimza, once a darling to many, has found himself in a public relations meltdown of sorts after a light-hearted tweet ended in backlash.
Social media owns Shimza for ‘tender’ joke
On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa was in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, on a vaccination site inspection drive. According to his office, this oversight visit was a means to “motivate greater numbers of South Africans to embrace vaccination as the most effective weapon in the fight against COVID-19.”
“The President will visit a public health facility in Tembisa and a private-public partnership centre in Midrand in recognition of the close collaboration between government, the private sector and active support of social partners,” the statement read.
Joining the online discussion around the president’s Tembisa visit, Shimza thought it would be the most opportune moment to lighten the mood around his alleged shoddy ties with the local government in the region.
Remember, the producer has been linked to a number of dubious tender contracts he may have scored with his township businesses, including the popular Hang Awt restaurant that recently featured on eNCA‘s ‘Checkpoint.
The claims remain untested but there is a belief that Shimza’s rumoured romantic relationship with Presidency spokesperson Athi Geleba may have moved him up the ranks in earning tender deals with he Ekurhuleni municipality
Shimza has vehemently denied these claims, of course, and on Thursday, he may have felt an itch to bring comedic relief to the serious allegations.
In a tweet that’s since gone viral, the producer lamented at the thought of being accused of yet another tender scam if Ramaphosa were to spend lunch at his restaurant.
President is in Tembisa today, we can’t even invite him for food ko Hang Awt, le tlabe lere Ke kreile Tender ya ho jesa President!
— SHIMZA (@Shimza01) July 29, 2021
Of course, this was said in jest but for many ordinary citizens who’ve been adversely affected by wide scale tender fraud, this was far from humorous.
These were just some of the reactions to Shimza’s tweet:
How do you know that President is coming to Tembisa today, connections all the way Shimza sithule siyabuka.
— Mr Quarantine ✊ (@BrianMp14270182) July 29, 2021
We will not be wrong. Wena rea tseba u ja chelete ya di tender. Ha re bona tender re bona wena. Its your modus operandi.
— Samponini (@KaYBMokoena) July 29, 2021
Kante it's that easy to invite president over for dijo Shimuzy?
— Angle Pty (@RenaaeSogo) July 29, 2021