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South African Satire

Issue 14,  August 2004

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Isidingo Gives Borderline Psychos A Bad Name

JOHANESSBURG – Isidingo, the popular South African soap opera, came under fire yesterday for the “excessive demonizing” of psychotic people by a special interest group called ‘Slightly Unbalanced’ (SU). The leader of SU, Alex Heberling, accused Isidingo of “putting all psychotic people into the same straightjacket” by its frequent use of “evil psychotic characters who only terrorise the popular characters”.

Heberling was referring to a string of violent psychotic guest characters that have been a common thread in the plot of Isidingo. Whenever one of these characters have been shot dead by police or arrested, a new one has been introduced into the fictional mining town of Horizon Deep, where the Isidingo storyline unfolds.

“Not all psychotic people are completely nuts”, said Heberling, “some of us are on the borderline. Just a little strange. Now with Isidingo giving us all a bad name it becomes even harder for us to integrate with the mentally healthy.”

Leading psychiatrist, Dr Bonga Chiliza, said that Heberling was right: “Not all psychotic people are evil or violent in nature. In fact, I have many patients who are sweet and caring individuals, even if they do think that they are Alice In Wonderland or Mother Theresa.”

Brad Milburn, a member of SU who regularly “followed that special person around but would never do anything”, reported a significant increase in restraining orders. “It’s just not fair. In fact it’s plain discrimination. Ever since Isidingo women just freak out when I follow them around and tell them how pretty they are”, said Milburn.

The producers of Isidingo refused to comment, instead referring all enquiries to the SABC. An SABC spokesperson maintained that the public broadcaster was committed to being non-discriminatory and said that anyone who felt aggrieved could contact the Broadcast Complaints Commission of South Africa.

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