Social media users were shocked on Wednesday after a video of an awkward moment between two presenters went viral on social media.
In the video NBC Namibia News presenter Elmarie Kapunda can be heard speaking about a boxing match, before turning to sports presenter Jessica Kaimu.
Kaimu interrupts her, saying: – “No. We are not going to do that. You’re just going to greet me and say ‘take it away.”
There was an awkward pause before Kaimu is told that they are “live”.
The two then stare in silence until the broadcast is cut.
This prompted the hashtag #jessicawearelive to trend in Namibia and neighboring South Africa.
A day after, a news team from the SABC, South Africa’s public broadcaster, did their own version of the cringe-worthy exchange:
Some journalists say the faux pas may be linked to a recent NBC strike over pay and conditions.
Namibian journalist Jemima Beukes tweeted that she had been told Kaimu didn’t know they were living as “she didn’t have an earpiece to communicate with the camera director. The recent NBC strike was partly because of a lack of equipment”.
Nonetheless, tweeters have been enjoying themselves at the anchor’s expense with jokes and memes.