MUSA MTHOMBENI AND LIESL LAURIE/ PICTURE: INSTAGRAM
Popular medical professional and media personality, Dr Musa Mthombeni, has recently been on the receiving end of some backlash. Social media users have called him out for yet another ‘tone-deaf‘ joke regarding his wife, Liesl Laurie.
Dr Musa Mthombeni is one of the South African media personalities who broke into the industry at an extremely young age when he bagged a role as a presenter in SABC 1’s popular YOTV show under the alias ‘Mousse’. Using his popularity gained from television, he then ventured into radio presenting, where he served as a host on Wits FM and YFM.
Despite opting to pursue a career in radiology, and going as far as obtaining a Master of Medicine in Diagnostic Radiology, Musa has remained a fan-favourite media personality. Moreover, he and his wife, former Miss SA Liesl Laurie, have quickly become one of Mzansi’s ultimate couple goals.
Back in September 2024, Dr Musa faced some intense backlash from social media users who called him out for making what they deemed an inconsiderate joke regarding the snowfall that had caused some catastrophe on the freeway.
“We are busy preparing and are ready to represent South Africa in the 2026 Winter Olympics…We heard there is a mess there in the Free State and some of you had to sleep in your cars and pee on the freeway… If you had carried your snowboard with you would be fine. Anyway, enjoy the weekend and avoid visiting strangers because of the weather,” his post read.
Various social media users came out to condemn him for the tone-deaf and insensitive nature of his joke, as they highlighted how the lives of real people, who deserved his empathy, were at stake.
Recently, the radiologist has drawn criticism for a similar reason, as some netizens have called him out for making a tasteless joke regarding his wife.
What Dr Musa intended to be a harmless joke about missing his wife has turned into a lesson about awareness and consideration. According to these netizens, Musa’s use of a ‘Wanted’ and ‘Missing’ poster to joke about missing his wife was a tone-deaf move, considering the high numbers of GBV, murder and kidnappings in South Africa.
They highlighted how using the style of poster he did, in the context of South Africa, where women and children go missing on a daily basis, triggered a panic within them as their minds wandered to the worst possible scenario.
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