Billionaire’s photo gaffe puts her in Twitter mishap zone, joins Zille

TWITTERVILLE is not quick to forgive prominent social media users for putting their foot in it. This became evident after several “tweets gone wrong” incidents by Western Cape premier Helen Zille and billionaire businesswoman Magda Wierzycka.

Wierzycka, the chief executive of investment firm Sygnia Asset Management, confirmed this week she had abandoned Twitter following a slew of criticisms over her recent online mishaps.

On Human Rights Day, which commemorates the 1960 Sharpeville massacre, Wierzycka tweeted a photo of Hector Pieterson which was taken during the Soweto Youth Uprising in 1976.

While she removed her tweet which stated “Let’s not forget 21 March 1960”, screen grabs circulated ferociously, forcing her to call it quits.

Her mishap was her second in a matter of days after she tweeted last week: “I often get asked, how can I help SA? Our biggest challenge = job creation. A thought: let every household employ one more cleaning lady or gardener. I know it’s a financial sacrifice. But we all need to sacrifice if we are to save SA. Imagine the impact.”

Twitter users were quick to tear apart her tweet, calling her racist and insensitive. Some on Twitter said people needed to be empowered with opportunities in engineering,

science, mathematics and