After being attacked by angry fans while performing on stage, rising star Naledi Aphiwe has apologised in public.
The incident happened over the weekend at the Mthandeni Summer Experience event held in KwaZulu-Natal.
The attack on Aphiwe, who met American superstar Chris Brown to celebrate her 18th birthday in December, was caught on camera and has since gone viral.
Aphiwe appears in the song Shooter from Chris Brown’s album 11:11.
Naledi thanked maskandi artist Mthandeni in a statement released on Monday for providing her with an opportunity to interact with and entertain her fans.
Additionally, she apologised to uGatsheni, whose real name is Mlungisi Khuzani Ndlovu.
Naledi asks for understanding
“It was never my intention to cause any disruption or disrespect, especially to such a respected and established artist in the maskandi community,” Naledi said.
“I acknowledge that my actions were inconsiderate, and I deeply regret the way I conducted myself on stage.
“I respect the values of this community and will take this time to reflect on my actions and ensure that I grow as an artist and individual going forward.”
She went on to say that she is aware that maturity, respect, and teamwork are just as important as skill in achieving success.
The young singer added that she thinks there is space for improvement and asks for understanding as she continues on her journey.
“I take full responsibility for my actions, and I am committed to working on myself during this period,” she said.
“I recognise that this is a time for growth, and I will be focusing on honing my craft and building a stronger, more professional approach to my music and career.”
In the wake of the missile-throwing incident, uGatsheni also offered Naledi an olive branch on Monday.
Naledi must clear her name in public
“I do wish to meet up with Naledi and her team because it is important to clear her name in public so she can be free to work with the maskandi genre in the future,” uGatsheni said in a statement.
“I believe that there were many beautiful moments from that event that should have trended.”
“As a person, it is important to have emotional intelligence; this is what my team and I implemented when the incident took place.”
He went on to say that people ought to consider what irritated others and caused the ensuing outrage.
He said: “People were annoyed because their favourite artist was disrespected by a little girl who walked on stage as if we were not in the middle of our performance.
“In life you get what you give; if you give us respect, you will be respected.”
Also Read: uGatsheni offers Naledi olive branch after missile-throwing incident
