Jo-Ann Strauss slammed over #ColouredExcellence remarks After Wayde van Niekerk won

After Wayde van Niekerk won the men’s 400m final at the Rio Olympics, his victory soon caused a stir on social media when the hashtag #colouredexcellence started trending.

Members of the coloured community praised the 24-year-old for being a great example and role model to coloured people in Mzansi.

Basically, they labelled his achievement as #colouredexcellence.

Top Billing presenter Jo-Ann Strauss also congratulated the athlete using the #ColouredExcellence hashtag.

However, many people were not impressed with this, emphasizing that Wayde's win should be celebrated as a win for all South Africans, not just coloured people.

Jo-Anne tried to justify the hashtag when she realized that Twitter was getting heated: “Why are we discussing race in the light of his victory? The only race to be discussed is the one that was won from lane 8,” she tweeted.

What are your thoughts?Here are the tweets:

I know Twitter is a political arena. I did not come to fight. I just wanted to celebrate a fellow South African. All good.

— Jo-Ann Strauss (@jo_annstrauss) August 15, 2016

I'm a proud Coloured South African woman. I did not grow up privileged. My privilege was the love from my parents. https://t.co/vo3khboZHX

— Jo-Ann Strauss (@jo_annstrauss) August 15, 2016

It one race against the other. That's what I mean. I'm not saying you should pretend to be colour-blind. Let's just celebrate our athlete.

— Jo-Ann Strauss (@jo_annstrauss) August 15, 2016

And here's what Twitter had to say about #ColouredExcellence:

Lol coloured people seldom have heroes. Leave them alone and let them celebrate Wayde Van Niekerk with the ouens! #ColouredExcellence

— Kiro Moroka (@KindaKoolKiro) August 15, 2016

When all you've been reduced to is toothless, alcoholic, drug addicted gangsters, representation matters.#ColouredExcellence

— Katana (@BantersaurusDev) August 15, 2016

This hashtag #Colouredexcellence perpetuates Apartheid segregation. Please ask yourself why this word "coloured" exists in SA.

— Zoë (@Zoe_SZi) August 15, 2016

Coloured people have been supporting #BlackExcellence but all we are recognized for is gangs, WE ARE TAKING THIS WIN! #ColouredExcellence

— Liesl Prinsloo (@LieslPrinsloo) August 15, 2016

#ColouredExcellence was simply created to break stereotypes against coloured people. We r not all gangsters and drunks. #OriginalFrontTeeth

— Jason Thorne (@Jason_Bakkies) August 15, 2016