By Sitha Maliwa
In a revealing exclusive interview with Newsroom Afrika, Nobuntu Mkhize, the embarrassed former SABC brand manager, broke her silence about the December FlySafair incident that gained significant attention on social media. The discussion shed light on the events that transpired, detailing Mkhize’s perspective amidst the uproar.
Mkhize voluntarily approached the media outlet to clarify her side of the story, emphasising that there was more to the situation than what was initially reported. She firmly denied accusations of being intoxicated during the flight incident, stating, “I do not think having a drink or two is considered to be drunk.” She acknowledged having consumed alcohol prior to boarding but argued that it does not impair one’s ability to conduct oneself appropriately.
The turmoil began when a flight attendant approached Mkhize and her boyfriend. After inquiring about their beverage options, she was offered a can resembling tonic water, which led to an exchange that escalated quickly. Hell broke loose when the attendant refused to serve her, stating, “Rha, I will not serve you.” Mkhize described feeling overwhelmed as the situation deteriorated.
“You’re a coloured from Mitchells Plain, all these gold rings but no degree. Right now when we land, I’m going to take an Uber home. You don’t even have a driver’s licence. You don’t even have a car,” Mkhize said at the time.
Mkhize characterised the clash with the flight attendants as akin to “a girls’ fight” and claimed it was a matter of self-defence on her part. However, she expressed regret for her use of a racial slur during the altercation, issuing an apology to the coloured community. “That is not who I am,” she stated, reinforcing that she does not hold racist views and has coloured friends.
Despite the chaos, Mkhize asserted that she has not been banned from flying with any airline and plans to pursue legal action against both FlySafair and the South African Police Service for how they managed the episode. She also criticised SABC for terminating her employment without an investigation, stating: “They have fired me without an investigation or calling me in to state my case. How dare they do something so unethical and against the labour relations law?
“Their actions are appalling. They call themselves impartial, but they fuelled the situation. She expressed intention to take the matter to the labour court. Reflecting on the incident that went viral, Mkhize admitted, “I could have handled the matter better.” – @NewsSa