Dineo Langa and The Glenlivet Apologise After Women’s Month Advert Sparks Backlash

• Dineo Langa and The Glenlivet pulled their Women's Month advert after it drew fierce criticism on social media
• Critics accused the actress and the whisky brand of commercialising South Africa's historic 1956 Women's March
• Both The Glenlivet and Dineo issued separate apologies, but reactions online remained divided

Dineo Langa and whisky brand The Glenlivet have pulled their Women's Month promotional campaign and issued public apologies after a torrent of criticism from South Africans who felt the advert exploited the legacy of the country's liberation struggle.

The joint statement, released on 28 August 2026, saw the brand take direct responsibility.

"The Glenlivet unreservedly apologises for a recent influencer post which drew on the legacy of the 1956 Women's March. We acknowledge the offence that this has caused and have deleted the post. We are investigating how this post was conceptualised and approved to make sure this does not happen again. We wish to reiterate our heartfelt apology to those impacted by the post."

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Dineo Langa’s Glenlivet advert sparks fierce backlash over commercialisation of 1956 Women's March

The backlash centred on the use of struggle icons and imagery linked to the historic 1956 Women's March to sell alcohol. Critics argued that the campaign was deeply insensitive, particularly given the well-documented role that alcohol played as a tool of oppression under apartheid. Many online users felt that tying a liquor brand to one of South Africa's most sacred moments of resistance trivialised the sacrifices made by women in the struggle.

Langa, for her part, did not shy away from the criticism.

"I am sorry for the harm I have caused. I understand the gravity of this mistake and will be more mindful in future," she said.

See the apologies below.

Mzansi reacts to the apology

Despite the swift response from both parties, public opinion remained split. Some felt the apology came too late and did not go far enough.

Phronesis528 said:

"These celebrities don't care, man. It's the same people who are endorsing gambling left, right, and centre! We expect too much from them. Their focus is always the money."

lavidaNOTA posted:

"You should never be selling liquor; it goes against everything you stand for. You should never be for sale; not all money is good for you, and even in desperate times, trust God. He will make a way so you don't have to make deals with the devil to survive!"

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NqobileZungu01 wrote:

"As a black woman, when you read the concept and shot the video, I'm curious as to what your thoughts and feelings were?"

However, not everyone was unmoved by Dineo's response. A number of users praised the actress for owning her mistake publicly rather than staying silent, with some acknowledging that taking accountability in the face of such intense scrutiny was a step in the right direction.

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Source: Briefly News