Driving a point
ORDINARILY, we would warn against any form of censorship. But in the case of the SABC deciding against playing party girl of the moment Babes Wodumo’s Mercedes, we are happy to make an exception.
Although Babes Wodumo and her management team have denied the charge, there is consensus among those who follow social trends that Mercedes is a song celebrating the drug of the same name.
Babes Wodumo’s people have made an unconvincing retort that the song is about her father’s dream car and her hope of one day buying it for him.
The drug has been wreaking havoc in many working-class communities in Durban and around the province.
In March, our sister newspaper The Daily News reported that three Durban teenagers had died and 32 were admitted to hospital after suffering symptoms of poisoning allegedly from the then new form of ecstasy known as “Mercedes”.
According to experts, it contains N-Ethylpentylone, a stimulant of the brain, and is misused for its euphoric effect and increased sex drive.
Its effects, the experts say, are such that it has to be treated in the same way as a cocaine overdose would be treated.
It affects heart function and increases heart rate and blood pressure, which can lead to increased body temperature. Over time it causes damage to muscles and causes weakness. The drug is said to cause serious damage to the brain, heart and muscles.
In these circumstances, we cannot hide behind freedom of expression or artistic licence when an artist’s message has an effect such as this drug has.
We are under no illusion that banning the song will not solve the problems created by the drug. We also appreciate that drugs are a social and health issue that will not go away simply because we have expressed our indignation.
We do, however, believe there is a line that must not be crossed. Freedom comes with responsibility and one such responsibility is to minimise harm if you cannot prevent it altogether.
Furthermore, it is important that public institutions not be used to propagate a message that is as openly destructive as this drug has been. To that end, we applaud the SABC and hope that the message lands with other artists.