Movie director gets Twitter backlash for whistleblowing
AN AWARD-winning film and commercials director is taking heat from “black Twitter” for trying to call out movie house staff offering to sneak people into a film without paying the cover charge.
Tebogo Malope tweeted Ster-Kinekor‚ saying: “Your employees at Sandton are asking for bribes to sneak us in to shows – can you address this? Somehow!”
The movie house chain responded in the affirmative: “We have taken note of recent reports regarding bribes solicited by Ster-Kinekor Sandton City staff. These are being investigated.”
But Malope got more than he bargained for‚ as support for his action was slim. Instead‚ followers and other commentators climbed in‚ asking him why he had not flagged the issue of staff salaries and slating him for informing on the staff.
The comments were opportunistic and brutal. Here’s a selection:
“Fighting corruption is a process‚ wish you had waited for festive season to pass before tweeting this‚” TebogoThothela @PrezSankara tweeted.
“Their entitlement to rate [rent] money is understandable tbqh. These people work long hours‚ working the mop and cash machines and other things we’ll never know of‚” Lesego @khaleesego‚ said‚ “Cinemas can’t be charging exuberant amounts per movie and treating their stuff to crumbs of the money.”
“This happens everywhere‚ maybe you just not paying them enough @sterkinekor‚ satisfied and happy employees wouldn’t do such.”
Rangwane Marumo@ @TebogoMalope: “Black twitter will deal with u.”
Mthulisi @TheCousinn: “I don’t support bribery but I wanna know if you’ve called @sterkinekor out for paying low salaries?”
“Address the low salaries. My sister worked @sterkinekor for 3 years with income less than @SharkieNd said.
Mondly Shezi @-Mondly suggested he should be doing more about getting local movies into the big cinema chain.
“Movies from abroad @TebogoMalope @sterkinekor Pick the right battle.”
“My point is‚ he should be putting Ster Kinekor up for playing South African movies‚ then his concern won’t be taken lightly.”
The filmmaker also received support. Piano Man@KMalatji led the way by remarking‚ “@TebogoMalope has every right to report the criminal activity at Ster-Kinekor... Whether your warped sense of social justice disagrees or not.”
KittyAwYebo @tsakani-tk got a grateful thanks from the filmmaker when she 3 000‚” said shared‚ “I don’t understand why people are hacked that @TebogoMalope reported on the activities @sterkinekor. If something is wrong it is wrong!!!”
Tanyani@Ms-Daku shared: “@TebogoMalope the same ppl who preach ‘Support black business’ are the same ones callin you a snitch for protecting the same businesses?”
Glorious ruins@Di-palesah tweeted: “According to the comments here‚ people hate corruption only when Zuma is concerned. What a mess.”
Bribes are a concern across the country. The latest South African Citizen’s Bribery Survey‚ conducted by The Ethics Institute and released endNovember‚ found that 33% of people surveyed know someone, who was asked for a bribe in the past year. — TMG Digital