Gillman grabs the buffalo...
2004-10-29 22:08
Johannesburg - Mark Gillman of 5fm has been rapped on the knuckles for referring to a colleague as a "buffalo bitch".
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission found that Gillman did not have malicious intent to stereotype women, but that the use of this kind of "destructive language" on the air had to be stopped.
Gillman's remark was made in a discussion with another colleague, Catherine Strydom, who took part from East London in Gillman's early-morning programme.
According to the SABC, Gillman regularly refers to Strydom as his "bitch".
This presented no problem for Strydom as she was a "progressive woman with set opinions".
The "buffalo" referred to East London and the words "Buffalo bitch" was truly a "slip of the tongue".
The commission found this kind of language was derogatory towards women and in this instance it "de-humanised" women.
It found that broadcasters should play their part in setting standards for language and kept pace with those rights enshrined in the constitution.