Thabiso Tema Defends SAPS Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe Amid ‘Slayqueen’ Backlash

SuperSport football commentator Thabiso Tema has strongly criticised the online commentary directed at South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe over her appearance during official briefings.

The controversy began after a social media user referred to Mathe as a “slayqueen” while questioning whether her appearance and presentation were appropriate for someone holding a senior public-facing position within the police service.

Tema responded by condemning the remark, describing it as misogynistic and an example of toxic masculinity. He argued that judging a woman’s professionalism or authority primarily through her appearance shifts attention away from her actual work, words and conduct.

According to Tema’s argument, such attitudes form part of a broader social problem in which women in positions of authority are subjected to scrutiny that their male counterparts may not face to the same extent.

He further linked the issue to South Africa’s wider struggle with Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), arguing that language and attitudes that diminish women can contribute to a culture in which women are disrespected or treated as less authoritative.

The exchange has since generated a divided response online. Some social media users supported Tema, saying Mathe should be assessed on her performance and communication rather than her appearance. They argued that women working in public institutions frequently face harsher personal scrutiny than men.

Others, however, rejected the gender-based framing of the debate. They maintained that questions about how public officials present themselves can be legitimate and should be viewed in the context of professionalism and institutional standards rather than automatically being interpreted as sexism.

The disagreement has therefore highlighted a broader debate about the standards applied to public representatives and whether criticism of a woman’s appearance crosses the line into misogyny.

At the centre of the controversy is the question of where legitimate criticism of professionalism ends and gender-based judgement begins.

Jeffery [email protected]