Social media users are divided over a post shared by renowned broadcaster and medical doctor Dr Musa Mthombeni about the severity of the situation on the N3 highway, where scores of motorists have been stuck due to heavy snowfall.
It is said that the Al Imdaad Foundation is among those who intervened by providing hot meals, sandwiches, fruits, bottled water, thermal blankets, baby blankets, and hygiene kits in an attempt to alleviate the situation.
In a post that garnered attention, Mthombeni, known for his wit, took to Instagram and posted a picture of him and his wife on the snow and said: “We are busy preparing and will be ready to represent South Africa in the 2026 Winter Olympics. We heard there’s 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, you’d be fine! Anyway, enjoy the weekend and avoid visiting strangers because of the weather.”
While social media continues to be divided over this post, others, like user @Dexigner2, brought up the gravity of the issue, emphasising that some of the persons stuck may have conditions that could worsen and result in death.
“Doctors know to prioritise lives. As to why he’s mocking people who are stuck and who might have conditions that deteriorate and lead to loss of life, it’s shocking. Money changes people, it’s true. Instead of showing support towards people, he's mocking them.’’
X user, @emily_teffoME, echoed the sentiments shared about the seriousness of the situation: “I joke about everything, but this joke I don’t get; maybe his fans are the only ones who get it; it’s not giving at all; it sounds insensitive, and we can’t judge those people while we don’t know why they had to go where they were going; what if some of them had family emergencies?”
Despite facing criticism for his joke about snowfall, others intervened, revealing that there had been numerous jokes about the weather.
“The only problem with that is that it’s Dr. Musa who said it. We have joked about way worse things as a country: mara lehono kaore ke yena nix nix. We claim to be sensitive,” said @MasileLenkwa.
Another user, @Buhle_Nolls, also defended his statement. and said: “Most people have been joking around about the snow issue; now that it’s Dr. Mthombeni, it’s a problem. Leave out Dr. Mthombeni alone, please.”
The Star