Former President Nelson Mandela’s PA, Zelda la Grange has fired her gardener and cleaner after she was “lambasted” by criticism on social media for comments perceived as having racial undertones.
La Grange, in a bid to inform the public about personal hygiene amongst their staff amid the coronavirus outbreak in South Africa, suggested that employers take the time to instruct their “housekeeper, nanny, gardener or garden services, pool cleaner or anyone in your employment” how to wash their hands properly.
Hot water
Her tweet, posted on Saturday 14 March which has since been deleted, was not received well, and she has been dubbed racist and condescending for purporting that black people can’t keep themselves clean.
“So there by the village Mandela’s former PA Zelda La Grange is busy saying black people don’t know how to clean themselves,” said a Twitter user.
So there by the village Mandela's former PA Zelda La Grange is busy saying black people don't know how to clean themselves.
— H.E.R#CoronaVirusSA pic.twitter.com/3wV5SvhWPz
(@rosy_kbee) March 13, 2020
Imagine teaching someone who's been washing your sh*t for years and keeping your house hygienic for years about hygiene? Talk about subtle racism. This is Zelda La Grange #zeldalagrange pic.twitter.com/1aMBnogQvF
— king of Confesssions Keith (@KaConfessor) March 14, 2020
“Imagine teaching someone who’s been washing your sh*t for years and keeping your house hygienic for years about hygiene? Talk about subtle racism. This is Zelda La Grange,” said another.
Missing the beat
She deactivated her Twitter account after receiving a barrage of criticism, and later took to facebook to try and clear the air, although I’m not so sure that informing the public that she has taken the steps to fire her staff was really what people were trying to say.
“For the past two days I have been lambasted by the social media mob for calling on people to ensure everyone around them know the correct tecnique as considered by the WHO of washing hands as preventative measure in combatting #Covid19,” she said.
“I called on people to include everyone in their households in spreading the news especially people who work for them. I shared the experience with people I employ in my household. They have no access to the internet or TV. My demonstration to them was purely from a place of care for their wellbeing.”
Later in her post, she said that she didn’t deserve her staff’s friendship, and would be undertaking the bold task of cleaning her own house from here on out. She added that she would “carefully explain this to them” without a hint of irony.
“I do plan to terminate the casual employment of the two people that work for me. It is one day a week and as I was told I should do my own cleaning I will do so. There is nothing wrong with me physically or any reason why my comfort should cause discomfort to others.”
“I will carefully explain this to them as they know my intentions were pure and our relationship of such that we were involved in other things beyond my household. I clearly dont deserve their friendship. I will apologise to them personally if they felt I harmed their dignity in any way with my briefing or demonstration. I will give them financial assistance equal to the 4 days a month they work for me.”
Source: The South African Read More“My heart is broken because they are my family but if my employing them degrades them I am no good for them.”
