Bapsy Mlangeni: Alive and kicking
Thursday, October 02, 2014
As I went through Facebook last week, I came across an advert on a friend’s timeline promoting The Legends Music Festival at Millennium Restaurant in Mogoditshane. One of the names that struck me was that of Bapsy Mlangeni. “Ah, this man is still alive,” I exclaimed as I enlarged the picture to see properly.
The other four names in the advert did not strike me as such, for I had recently attended a show where Neo Maphaka, the former CJB lead singer featured. Also I am friends with Thabile Mazolwana, Table Madiba and Phamela Nkutha on Facebook.
It is a warning flare to every Motswana who logs onto social media. As a country, we have reached a point where the line between robust debate and outright destruction has become dangerously blurred. At face value, Mabeo’s response, which seeks an apology and threat of a defamation suit, might seem severe to some. But we cannot ignore the context. The comment in question did not offer a policy critique or question a political decision.It...