Incorrigible no-show addict King Monada has lost another lawsuit emanating from his
refusal to refund a promoter after failing to show up at the impresario’s music event about two years ago.
Sunday World can exclusively reveal that the Nkowankowa Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo has ruled in favour of promoter Eric Thoka and ordered King Monada to refund him R49 000 plus the legal costs.
Thoka confirmed that he won the suit against King Monada, real name Khutso Steven
Kgatla, but said that, given the recording superstar’s unbridled hubris, he is expecting him to appeal that judgement.
“The matter was heard on July 25, and the court ruled in our favour and ordered him to refund us.
“But given his arrogance, I would not be surprised if he appeals the judgement because he did not even show up in court.
“Only his lawyer did. King Monada was only giving the lawyer instructions via the phone,” he said.
Thoka also said that the judgment has vindicated him and will silence the loquacious
critics who accused him of lying about booking the artist as a marketing coup.
“It’s a pity it had to go this far, but this was not personal. It was a principled business decision to recoup our money after he humiliated us by not showing up at the event after we paid him,” he said.
Thoka said that the damage King Moanda has caused to his reputation was so immeasurable that he would not risk booking him again for events in the future.
“I will never book him. I want to appeal to other artists, especially from Limpopo, to please take their business seriously. Honour your contract, and if you fail to honour it, pay back the money. It’s that simple,” he said.
According to the summons which Thoka obtained under his company, Monate Africa, the Idibala hitmaker refused to refund him after failing to pitch up at a music festival in December 2023.
Thoka had paid the Skabhora Moreki hitmaker a substantial sum to perform for the kings and queens of Lebowakgomo township, near Polokwane, on New Year’s Day in 2023.
He explained that after paying the artist, they printed posters and flyers and distributed them to promote and market the show.
As a result, he said, Monada’s supporters bought tickets in droves to come and rub
shoulders with the object of their obsession.
But to their disappointment, Monada did not show up, prompting the supporters to take to social media, accusing Thoka of lying to them that he had booked the icon to entertain them at the carnival.
“On the day he was due to perform, we called him to find out his whereabouts. He replied by saying that he was in Pretoria, apparently attending another gig, and promised to come to our show on time,” Thoka said.
He said that when they realised that King Monada’s time to perform was approaching, they called him again, but the artist’s phone was off.
Thoka then said Monada complained that they had made him a headline act for their show but short-changed him by not paying the fee befitting the billing.
Thoka said after promising to refund them, King Monada stopped taking their calls until his manager, Albert Makwela, intervened and promised to resolve the matter.
“But after several months of not getting our money back, we decided to go the legal route.”
Last year, Limpopo Artists Movement chairperson Mphoza Mashabela successfully sued King Monada because he failed to pitch at an event he organised to honour legendary artists and refused to refund him.
