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Viewer fury has engulfed Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) over the TV show Our Perfect Wedding (OPW).

Shocked viewers this week slammed the show calling it a “disgusting shame” for “romanticising rape culture” after last Sunday’s episode proudly glamourised a groom who told of how he met his wife, Bavelile Mkhwanazi, when she was just 14 and he 28.

Fanie, a former taxi driver narrates how he used to sleep with three or four girls every day.

“After the school rush hour, I’d come back with a schoolgirl and take her home. When I dropped her off, I’d come back with another girl,” he said.

To top it all, Fanie (38) said he made Bavelile (23) pregnant when she was just 18 years old and proudly declared that he had three other kids with three different women.

Many viewers were shocked and took to social media.

Simphiwe Dana wrote: “So OPW romanticised rape culture last night. I don’t watch OPW because I find no joy in laughing at black poverty. But this is unacceptable.”

A Twitter user under the handle @Bonisile_RMS contacted the SA police and tweeted: “Hey @SAPoliceService, are you watching #OPW tonight?

So many crimes confessed. Statutory rape, assault and damage to property.”

While the Sexual Offences Act has defined that it is no longer a criminal act for children between the ages of 12 and 15 to engage in sexual activity with each other, it is still completely illegal and repugnant for an adult to prey on a 14 year-old in South Africa yet Fanie proudly bragged about having sex with underage schoolchildren.

At least a complaint has been formally laid with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) over Our Perfect Wedding and Absa has abruptly pulled its sponsorship of the show.

“We’ve withdrawn our sponsorship of Our Perfect Wedding with immediate effect. We’ve informed Mzansi Magic,” said Byron Kennedy, Absa’s head of media.

The Change Drivers’ Network and the Sexual Reproductive Justice Coalition of South Africa also slammed Mzansi Magic and Connect TV:

“Considering the rate of sexual abuse in South Africa, it’s disturbing to note how Our Perfect Wedding normalises this behaviour and turned it into a love story.

“It’s unacceptable and as young leaders who deal with such issues every day, the ACTIVATE! Network demands that action be taken in this regard.

“Rape culture is so normalised and in a country like ours with the type of statistics around rape and gender based violence, it’s highly disturbing what we were shown on Mzansi Magic,” said Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng.

Responding to the fracus, Mzansi Magic said it would refrain from airing a repeat of the episode which was broadcast on November 29.

“At Mzansi Magic, we’re committed to telling stories that impact our viewers and build our communities while challenging society to engage in meaningful conversations but we don’t condone any unlawful behaviour.

“Mzansi Magic would like to apologise for airing the segment that has upset our viewers. We take the concerns of our viewers seriously. It’s for this reason we’ve taken the decision not to broadcast the episode again,” the channel said. – Channel24/DailySun/