We know Kenny Kunene loves a bit of controversy, the Jozi businessman perhaps most famous for his odd sushi-eating habits never shy of attracting attention.

That being said he has deleted a number of tweets from the past two weeks, the most recent of which compare white people to monkeys. Fueled by Penny Sparrow’s idiocy Kunene has been on a sustained rant, these below a selection of some of the more contentious.

They are not in chronological order, just by the by:

Here’s what Channel 24 had to say:

Kenny starts off by insisting that “whites compare blacks to monkeys all the time. Let’s see similarities between white people in the next five pics tweets.”

This message is then followed by a series of images comparing white people to monkeys, with one image showing a naked man with the caption “Mr Sparrow patently waiting for Penny to suck that dick”.

Can’t say I’m a big fan of talking about Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe as any kind of a good thing. Starving citizens, a currency so devalued that it is no longer worth the paper it’s printed on – not for me thanks.

Will we see Twitter go mad, charges pressed by political parties and think pieces across every major news outlet analysing the tweets? I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Kunene was eventually reached by Channel24 for comment. Here’s what he had to say:

Kenny: Desperate times require desperate measures. I am very angry. I am very very very angry, like many other young South Africans who are out there. And let me tell you, Jess what these young people are saying. I interact with young people on a daily basis…

So what I am doing here is if you understand the anger of our people, you’d understand that it actually helps ordinary white South African’s who are not racist

Do you think your actions are spurring on this anger then?

Kenny: No, no. I’m not spreading anger. I am saying to white South Africans “stop calling us monkeys because you also look like monkeys”.

What are you saying to black South Africans with messages like this?

Kenny: As much as we are angry, let us not be reduced to monkeys. Here is evidence that whites also have the same looks, the same skin types. Don’t be reduced to inferiority.

You do realise that with these messages, you are going to be called a racist. What is your response to that?

Kenny: (Laughs.) I don’t think that I must justify to anyone whether I am a racist or not. I am responding to racism. And at this time, as an angry South African, I am responding in the best way I deem possible.

And the question that you are responding to racism with racism?

Kenny: That’s an opinion. I don’t see any racism there with what I have posted. My first tweet said: “White people compare us to monkeys all the time. Let’s see some similarities between white people and gorillas.” My tweet is not aimed at calling people anything. Unfortunately there are 140 letters.

But is that message clear? Twitter does only have 140 characters and as people see it, you are comparing white people to monkeys.

Kenny: Number one: I don’t accept that I look like a monkey. My last tweet in Sotho translated means: “When you attack me you must first look at yourself.”

Is that clear to people that don’t understand the language?

Kenny: I have learnt English, they must learn my language. It was deliberate that I did it in Sotho. We have 12 official languages in South Africa. Those who want to know what you mean, they will ask. My message is simple: don’t accept to be called a monkey. Those people must first look at themselves. I am the last person to fuel anything. Racist whites must bear the consequences of their actions.

You don’t say racist whites, though. You say whites.

Kenny: I am responding so they can look at it from our eyes.

So just for today you are acting as a racist so the messages can come across?

Kenny: Yes, I am generalising. My message is simple: I am saying to white people, to racist white people, to white people in general. If a black guy says something racist, I will call him to order. But I don’t see that happening. But I don’t see that happening with white people when they call us names. They keep their jobs. It’s like nothing has happened.

Do not call me a name before looking at yourself. Black people, if they don’t speak they burn. When we decide to come for Sandton, you stay there, what are you doing about it? I am generalising so that white people can understand. You guys have to speak up. Now is the time.

Make of that what you will.

[sources:channel24,timeslive]