Enhle Mbali has landed herself in hot water after referring to her hair as “k*fir hare” at an event promoting her partnership with Carlton Hair.
“Listen, it’s the new South Africa and I’m allowed to say this. I’ve got k*fir hare. And the black people know exactly what I mean and the coloured people know exactly what I mean as well,” the actress and fashion designer told attendees at the Hyde Park event.
Video footage of the moment surfaced on social media, sparking outrage from South Africans who strongly opposed the use of a racial slur to describe ethnic hair.
IOL reached out to Carlton Hair for comment on the now-viral video and Mbali’s use of the term.
The company stated that they “unequivocally condemn any form of ethnic derogation or self-deprecation that perpetuates harmful stereotypes.”
They added that such remarks have no place in their brand, partnerships, or community and do not reflect their values.
“We extend our sincere regret to anyone offended or hurt by these words, particularly within the Black community whose natural beauty we proudly champion,” said Carlton Hair Director Sascha Paine.
“To address this, we have immediately paused all related promotional content featuring the ambassador and are conducting a full review of our partnership guidelines to ensure alignment with our inclusivity standards.
“Moving forward, we will prioritise collaborations with voices that authentically amplify empowerment and cultural pride,” Paine added.
In a response to the outcry, Mbali has taken to social media to apologise to her followers.
“I am posting this video to express my heartfelt apology as a black South African woman, for offending members of the South African community during my speech, as that was far from my intention,” she writes.
“The K word as it’s formally known, is still a sticky one with lots of history behind it. I spoke in the language (terminology) that we commonly used where I grew up. We rendered the K word’s humiliation untrue, therefore it was never owned space.”
“My intention was not to dismiss or demean any community while sharing my personal experiences. With that being said, I fully understand this is not the case for everyone. Once again, my sincerest apology.”
Mbali is the first celebrity to partner with Carlton Hair, which has traditionally been associated with caucasian hair but is now catering to ethnic hair.
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