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Viewers of SABC2 soap opera 7de Laan have been left fuming after an interracial kiss was broadcast, Sunday weekly Rapport reported.
Actress Carina Nel, who portrays the character Alexa in the popular Afrikaans soapie, reportedly received hate mail from viewers after kissing actor Nicholas Nkuna, whose character Fikani had been her love interest for some months.
Both actors had been taken aback by the response, according to Rapport.
Among many others, Nel received a message from a viewer, in broken Afrikaans: "I used to like you on 7de Laan. But I am glad you are not my wife after that episode. Actress or not, I would never have kissed you again. Sis, man, you are dragging white girls’ name through the mud," Rapport quoted the unnamed viewer.
Another viewer wrote on Facebook: "You are broadcasting shit these days…I don’t want to teach my kids these things…drugs, alcohol abuse, hostages, suicidal thoughts, and now, the cherry on the cake, mixing races…I am not racist, but white with white and black with black…shittiest soap of the decade."
Another one wrote: "Pathetic! My choice to skip the channel."
Support
Equally, many viewers supported the relationship and lambasted the negative critics.
One wrote: "I loooove it! I've just been sitting over here waiting for this couple. Please 7de Laan make this relationship last! I love them together! Yeah!!!"
Another viewer wrote: "7de Laan [is] showing South Africans how we should live and that colour does not matter... Grow up!"
In addition, 7de Laan invited viewers who were in interracial relationships to share pictures on its Facebook page, which resulted in countless responses from so-called "mixed-race" couples.
Nkuna reportedly said he was surprised by the negative feedback. "It's difficult to believe there are still people who find this strange," he said.
Nel says her husband, Deon Nagel, understands that kissing on set is part of any actor's job.
"What's important to me is that the guy you kiss should ensure his teeth are brushed and clean," Nel quips.
She adds that the only man she truly wants to kiss is Deon.
The Afrikaans soap has come under fire on numerous occasions by viewers who took offence to its storylines and content.
In December last year, its producers were ordered to issue an apology after exposing children to "violent" scenes.
Netwerk24 reported at the time that the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) had received several complaints regarding a "lack of respect for cancer patients" as well as "violent scenes" during a hostage drama scene.
Some viewers were upset when the character Rickus (portrayed by André Lotter), who had testicular cancer, exposed his groin to show how he had been "mutilated" by cancer.
Viewers reportedly felt this was insensitive towards cancer patients.
In November last year, Huisgenoot reported that, again, viewers were up in arms about storylines involving a women's prison and a "fight club".
This was reportedly followed by a storyline involving a "cult" that opposed modern technology, again drawing the ire of viewers.
In March 2017, the soapie broadcast its first gay kiss, eliciting mixed responses from viewers.
While some reacted positively, other viewers described the kiss as "disgusting" and "nauseating" on the programme's social media platforms.
*A previous version of this article wrongly attributed a quote by Nel to her husband, Deon Nagel. News24 regrets the error and unreservedly apologises to Nel and Nagel.
