An interracial kiss on the popular soapie, "7de Laan," upset some of its viewers so much that they took to social media to complain.
Fans of the SABC2 show have turned on the white actress, who kisses her black co-star in the 15 January episode.
Actress Carina Nel, who plays the character Alexa in the Afrikaans soapie, reportedly received hate mail after kissing actor Nicholas Nkuna, whose character, Fikani, had been her love interest for some months.
Both actors have been taken aback by the backlash, writes Rapport.
Nicholas Nkuna and Carina Nel shared a kissing scene in the Afrikaans soapie "7de Laan". Picture: Twitter
A viewer wrote to Carina: “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.”
Another said on Facebook: “You are broadcasting s*** these days. I don’t want to teach my kids these thing. Drugs, alcohol abuse, hostages, suicidal thoughts, and now, the cherry on the cake, mixing race. I am not racist, but white with white and black with black. S****est soap of the decade.”
Another one wrote: “Pathetic. My choice to skip the channel.”
But some support the romance.
One wrote: “I love it! I’ve just been sitting over here waiting for this couple. Please 7de Laan make this relationship last. 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 many responded to by posting their pictures.
Nicholas reportedly found it “difficult to believe there are still people who find this strange”.
Carina’s husband, Deon Nagel, reportedly said he had no problem with his wife kissing men while filming, as long as the guy “brushed his teeth and was clean”.
The soapie had previously come under fire for “violent scenes” in a hostage drama scene; a “cult” opposed to modern technology; and its first gay kiss.
See fan pics below.