Controversial African pop singer Makhadzi’s Kicks, Kokovha sneakers are now sold for nearly half a price after a dispute between her and a manufacturer resulted in the poor promotion and marketing of the new brand.
The sneakers, which were initially priced at R900, have been reduced to R449.99 by the manufacturer, Kicks Khova, which is selling them at its new store called Kicks Sportswear at Kempton Park’s Festival Mall in Gauteng.
The store has also introduced Kicks Champion X at R999 in a bid to offset the loss suffered by the manufacturer as a result of the singer’s failure to promote and market it.
Makhadzi, real name Ndivhudzannyi Ralivhona, and her record label Open Mic breached terms and conditions of a partnership agreement with the manufacturer which, among others, stated that the musician should promote and market the brand.
This resulted in the manufacturer filing a lawsuit in the Joburg High Court demanding damages from the singer.
In terms of the agreement, the award-winning songbird was expected to perform wearing the colourful sneakers and promote the brand on social media platforms, but was instead seen flaunting different international brands during her performances.
This resulted in the sneakers not receiving the exposure and marketing the manufacturer had envisaged.
Kicks Sportswear founder and CEO Sammy Mhaule told Sunday World that he was excited to have finally opened a new store and wished Kicks Kokovha will sell out soon.
“I know that I spent a lot of time working on Kicks Kokovha and hoping it would work with Makhadzi as the one promoting this brand,” said Mhaule.
“We had bigger plans but they all went down the drain because she did not keep up with the terms and conditions of our agreement.
“Yes, Kokovha, which was meant to be hers to work on, is going at half price because I need to get my money back, it’s like they left me to do damage control myself.
“However, I am excited to have also launched Champion X and I believe it will run to the direction I expect it to.”
Makhadi, her record label and the shoe designer will face off in court as negotiations for the latter to pay the R8.2-million damages suffered by manufacturer failed to yield results.
Mhaule said they had exhausted all efforts to get the pair to settle the matter before the start of trial to save legal fees for everyone, but he is now more than determined to meet them in court.
He said he had a lot of trust and respect for Makhadzi and Open Mic but felt disappointed as they failed to deliver.
Kicks Kokovha representative, Nacinda Combrink from Radley Attorneys, said they had since served Makhadzi and Open Mic with rule 35 discovery notices and have not received response to date.
He further said their offices will need to bring an interlocutory application against them and compel them to discover then claim attorney and client costs against them.
“Only after the interlocutory application has been heard, and we have received the outcome of same and they have served us with their discovery affidavit, their rule 35 discovery notices and we have served them with our discovery affidavit, we can serve them with relevant pre-trial notices then request a pre-trial to take place,” said Combrink.
“Then proceed to follow the steps in accordance with the court’s directive in order to apply for an opposed court date after both parties have filed their heads of argument and their practice notes, indexing and pagination of the bundles have taken place and uploading them onto caselines has been successful, we will thereafter receive an opposed trial date.”
Spokesperson for Open Mic and Makhadzi Nkateko Maluleke said they are unhappy about the manufacturer’s R8.2-million’s demand.
“They wanted us to pay back their R8.2-million, but all that money for what?” asked Maluleke.
“We do not understand what they want from us, and they rush every explanation through the court and not straight to us. I would say there is still no update from our side so far, because we want to understand, R8.2-million for what?”
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