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Johannesburg – Africa’s latest Big Brother season has again been marred by a sexual assault that saw a contestant being expelled from Big Brother Naija after he was seen inappropriately touching and feeling a sleeping female contestant.
The latest incident in the controversial show is once again raising concern about why M-Net and the producers, Endemol Shine Africa, are not adequately protecting participants, especially women, in the show despite several prior promises to put better measures in place after previous sexual and physical assaults against women.
In the latest incident, the contestant Kenem was expelled after viewers saw how he assaulted a sleeping T-Boss who had no idea what was happening to her.
Footage placed on YouTube went viral until YouTube suddenly blocked it saying it’s been removed because it's “violating YouTube’s policy on nudity or sexual content”.
Kemen was removed from the camera house in Linden, Johannesburg, where previous versions of Big Brother Africa and Big Brother Mzansi were filmed and where the latest second season of Big Brother Naija is taking place.
Although made for Nigeria, Big Brother Naija is broadcast 24 hours per day to the whole continent on MultiChoice’s DStv satellite pay-TV platform.
Due to Kemen’s expulsion – who has gone to ground since his removal and who isn’t speaking to the media – none of the housemates will be up for elimination in Big Brother Naija this coming Sunday in order to keep the number of housemates in line with the production playout order for the weeks that are left.
MultiChoice Africa and Endemol Shine Africa have twice been asked for a statement.
In a response M-Net says “M-Net and the show producers Endemol Shine Africa are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all housemates in the Big Brother house at all times.
“We view the actions of Kemen as inappropriate behaviour, and as such we considered this in a very serious light and will continue to take necessary disciplinary action against housemates who break the rules of conduct in the Big Brother house."
In February 2014 the Big Brother Mzansi contestant Mbali Zulu was expelled after he physically assaulted and slapped Iris Miya.
After the incident M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle said “our viewers understand that these isolated incidents do not represent our brand” and that “the safety of reality show contestants continues to be M-Net's paramount concern, so all contestants are screened intensively and undergo vigorous psychological, as well as medical assessments, with highly qualified practitioners within these fields prior to their selection for any reality show”.
In 2010 Endemol Shine and M-Net had to expel Hannington Kuteesa after fighting with a female contestant in Big Brother, and in 2013 contestant Nando was given the boot from the show.
During the second season of Big Brother Africa Ofunneka was sexually assaulted by contestant Richard.
After the latest sexual assault, the previous Big Brother housemate Lexi Van on social media said that “This upsets me! I know a lot of men like this!”
