Dj Fresh Issues a Statement on Ntsiki Mazwai’s Rape Allegations
Thatho Sikhwane, known by his stage name Dj Fresh, has issued a statement on Ntsiki Mazwai’s rape allegations. Mazwai, an activist and poet who sometimes loves to stir controversy, told her follower that the Dj was a rapist. The matter had to be settled in court.
In a statement published today, Dj Fresh said:
“The matter was escalated as the information posted was not only false, it was significantly, personally harmful and hurtful to me and my family. I rarely respond to because often in doing so, it provides the perpetrator with a sense of legitimacy.”
Dj Fresh wanted Ntsiki Mazwai’s rape allegations to be handled differently
Although the Dj took Ntsiki Mazwai to court over the allegations, he wanted the matter to handled in a “better and more private manner.”
STATEMENT: pic.twitter.com/5HqxWaM6Ab
— DJ Fresh (Big Dawg) (@DJFreshSA) July 23, 2020
However, he was left with no option but to take the legal route when ‘the falsehoods were not rescinded,” Dj Fresh said in the press statement.
Dj Fresh’s rage allegations first surfaced on social media in 2019 and he has denied them. South Africa is facing a real problem of Gender-Based Violence (GBH) on women.
The Dj says that he feels “strongly motivated to stand against GBV in every form.” He added that the fight against GBH is one in which people need to stand together against perpetrators. However, the voice of falsehoods should not undermine the work of real activists.
“We cannot allow the voices of the many real and legitimate victims to be invalidated – or undermined – by the public perpetuation of false stories or unsubstantiated claims.”
In the legal battle between the poet and the DJ, the courts ruled in favour of Sikwane.
The fight against GBV
The fight against GBH will continue in South Africa as women and children do not feel safe. However, false allegations undermine this fight.
When this ends, we hope that we will have real stories in which the public and the authorities do not first have to doubt the credibility of the allegations of gender-based violence.
