South African musician Simphiwe Dana received heavy criticism following her recent post on social media about saving a “great family friend" from going to jail in Nairobi, Kenya.
Taking to social media, the Afro-jazz singer posted a rather confusing — if not contradictory — message about saving a "brilliant South African artist" from going to jail. Dana, however, also stated that she regretted her decision.
“Yesterday I saved an abuser from going to jail in a foreign country. He’s a brilliant artist and great ambassador for SA.
"He’s a great family friend. His name is Mohau Modisakeng. Fu** him. I wish I didn’t. I was worried about diplomacy, but he should have worried not me,” read Dana's post.
Shortly after posting the message, Dana’s timeline was flooded with messages as folks dragged her for saving an "abuser", while others were concerned about the safety of the victim. Some even labelled Dana a ''hypocrite".
This one is hypocrite of note and she is a feminist when it suites her,when Mampintsa abused babes she was screaming on top of her lungs
— Mxhosa _MSD (@masande_MSD) June 21, 2018
I lost you at "great family friend"....akere we as people always save our so called "friends" regardless of what's they've done...I'm worried about the victim, did you even think about them?
— Nautical twilight🦄 (@Lu_Booi) June 21, 2018
The ‘Ndiredi’ hitmaker quickly responded to her critics, saying: "We cannot protect abusers. Not on my watch".
Dana's statement got tweeps confused as they wanted to know if she knew what the accused had done before she assisted him. Dana claims she didn't know what the accused did. "I will never protect friends who are abusers. At least not knowingly," she explained.
I was confused why you would knowingly protect an abuser and then proceed to say ‘not on my watch’ until I read your replies.
Still confused on why you’re mentioning how much of a great artist he is though.. https://t.co/oBUjG2kiRr
— Tshwaro (@NTshwaro) June 21, 2018
He is a great family friend. Or at least he was until last night. I will never protect friends who are abusers. At least not knowingly https://t.co/2oSNs6NuAu
— Firebrand (@simphiwedana) June 21, 2018
On tweep, who allegedly witnessed the altercation, detailed the events which allegedly unraveled at the airport in a Twitter post. She recalled the day a young South African woman's passport was allegedly "ripped with bare hands", leaving stranded in a foreign country, and the verbal abuse she endured at the hands of her partner.
I’m so pissed off that Simphiwe Dana got Mohau Modisakeng off the hook for his crimes in Nairobi.
I was there for the whole dilemma and fought so hard to have SAA allow his victim to fly cause I genuinely feared for her life.
I could actually cry right now.
"I’m so p***ed off that Simphiwe Dana got Mohau Modisakeng off the hook for his crimes in Nairobi. I was there for the whole dilemma and fought so hard to have SAA allow his victim to fly cause I genuinely feared for her life. I could actually cry right now. That guys a monster"
"I got checked in at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and while walking to the boarding gates I noticed a couple in an intimate argument. Laughed it off cause it looked like they were breaking up.
"Boarded and walked out to Duty Free. Upon my return I found this same argument at the boarding gate. Clearly something had happened and the guy was shouting at this lady. The Swissport staff was telling the guy to calm down and the lady was visibly terrified. He exclaimed that she was lying and she was dead quite.
I intervened and told the guy to relax and tone down his voice. He violently told me not to get involved while telling the lady that she should leave the area so they can talk. She was scared and moved behind the counter for safety.
"Swissport informed me that he had ripped her passport with his bare hands and slapped her. Airport security verified this as everybody had seen this argument. Problem was now she couldn’t fly because her passport was destroyed. I called my local contacts in Nairobi and informed them there was a South African lady in grave danger whom they’d need to pick up and accommodate if she didn’t make it onto the flight.
The source further explained that the woman was eventually allowed to travel back to South Africa despite her passport being torn.
"She made a statement and SAA made plans in SA. He was arrested and her passport retained as evidence. They allowed her on and he stayed I was praying the whole time cause I didn’t want to imagine what would happen if he got his hands on her. She verified everything that happened and was an emotional wreck as the “reasons” for his attack.
The eyewitness expressed her disappointment and anger at the local musician's decision to intervene and mediate the release of her friend.
"Imagine my dismay to learn that @SimphiweDana had gone on to have this same man released from police custody after he abused a woman, destroyed her passport and verbally assaulted/intimidated airport staff and myself. I’m so disappointed and angry."
According to the witness the couple were returning from a holiday in Zanzibar.
IOL Entertainment contacted Dana's publicist, Vista Kalipa of OnPoint PR, who then released the below statement:
"She (Simphiwe Dana) will not be giving a quote on the matter. She’s said what she needed to say to explain the sequence of events as she experienced them and she has mentioned why she wanted to retract, after finding out what the guy did."