Branson Criticised for Launch Tweet

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has apologised following criticism he received for a “poorly chosen image” he posted at an event to launch his new Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in South Africa.

The image features Branson with a group of young entrepreneurs, all of whom are white.

South African fashion designer Thula Sindi replied to the tweet, asking “Where did you find so many white people in South Africa?”

A spokesman for the Virgin Group said “The tweet linked to a blog about the launch of the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship South Africa, which assists aspiring entrepreneurs of all backgrounds with the skills, opportunities and inspiration they need to succeed.

“We apologise for the poorly chosen image, but would like to emphasise that this does not reflect the diverse makeup of attendees.

“As the video, other social media posts and other images of the event show, many of the diverse group of Branson Centre entrepreneurs, trustees and team were present and the image attached to that particular tweet should have reflected this too”.

South Africa’s population is roughly 80 per cent black African, with whites accounting for less than 8 per cent.

Branson wrote in his blog the South African “economy is dependent on entrepreneurial activity for creating future economic growth and jobs.

“But the economic contribution to South Africa’s entrepreneurial sector is below the developing country norm.  I believe that increasing entrepreneurship in this country is the golden highway to economic development”.