Dineo Ranaka has responded firmly to the criticism that followed her public reaction to Nandi Madida’s comments about financial expectations in relationships, making it clear that her views were misunderstood and deliberately sensationalised.
The radio and TV personality initially sparked debate after saying she was disturbed by remarks Madida made during an appearance on the L-Tido Podcast.
Her comments quickly attracted backlash online, prompting intense discussion and media attention.
On Sunday, Ranaka addressed the situation directly on Instagram, explaining that her response was driven by the volume of press queries she received after her initial remarks went viral.
She pushed back against the narrative forming around her opinion, insisting that her argument had been stripped of context.
Ranaka emphasised that historical systems of oppression in South Africa affected black people as a collective, not one gender over another, and questioned why grace was being framed as something owed only to men.
“Before a ‘system’ affects an individual, it impacts a people. My example stands,” she wrote.
She also rejected attempts to link her comments to her personal or romantic life, describing those angles as irrelevant and lazy.
“So where does my poor choice in men enter the chat when I didn’t even once make an example using mojolo? I didn’t speak of GBV? And I didn’t touch on marriage and husbands this, wives that,” Ranaka said.
In a pointed critique of the online reaction, she accused South Africans of rushing to outrage without fully understanding the issue.
“You see how we lack depth as a people? ALWAYS quick to take offence and never interested to give comprehension,” she added.