Embattled poet Ntsiki Mazwai has reached out to her supporters, begging them to cover the bill for her legal costs after losing a defamation case against DJ Euphonik.
The appeal for donations follows Sunday World’s recent report that Mazwai, of Uwrongo fame, wrote to DJ Euphonik to nuzzle him to drop the cost order lawsuit against her, claiming she was wrong to call him a rapist.
On April 14, 2023, Mazwai sent the first email to Euphonik’s lawyers, whose real name is Themba Mbongeni Nkosi.
This was before the renowned music producer could submit a case to the Johannesburg High Court, asking for an order requiring the contentious poet to pay his legal fees following his victory in a defamation suit against her.
In the letter, Mazwai told Nkosi that she had learnt a difficult lesson and that the lawsuit had “refined” her emotional intelligence.
Defamatory statements
The Johannesburg High Court ordered her to stop making defamatory statements and initially pay R74 000 in legal costs.
In 2022, the court added an additional amount of R104 316 to her legal fees. Following her unsuccessful appeal, the court further added R114 000 to the total legal costs.
Mazwai said that the final legal costs amounted to more than R200 000. After a visit from the sheriff, her belongings were found to be valued at R1 500.
The 44-year-old author appealed to her fans to help her settle the legal fees handed down by the court, and she has already started receiving donations from her fan base.
“It’s my birthday on September 3. May I start collecting blessings?” she asked.
“I promise to pass over that money to those lawyers. Otherwise, you can email me, and I can give you their banking details, and then you can send me the proof of payment, and we keep it moving, guys.”
Mazwai expressed a sense of optimism, stating that the situation need not be catastrophic.
“We’re going to pay bit by bit and continue living our lives and building the Moya Podcast,” she said.
Grateful for the support
She showed gratitude to those who have been supporting her through the case.
“Thank you to everyone in the DMs for the endless support. To the big sisters who send me money to get massages to make me feel better, I appreciate you so much.”
After the court handed down the judgment, Mazwai publicly admitted guilt and apologised for participating in accusations that painted the DJ as a rapist.
“I see that I could have handled myself better. I am thankful for the difficult learning curve that has so much refined my emotional intelligence.”
Mazwai also shared her financial struggles and the fact that she was not in a position to pay off the debt.
“The car I drive belongs to the bank. The laptop I use is a loan from the Kena Foundation. The cellphone I use is my sister’s extra phone. I respect the court system and continue to abide by the court order,” she said.