An argument about the origins of social spot Kwa Mai-Mai has escalated after reality television show star Yaya Mavundla slapped social commentator and former journalist Zinhle Khumalo with legal letters and demanded R300 000 for defamation.
On Saturday, during a Twitter back-and-forth with acclaimed entertainment commentator Phil Mphela, Khumalo dragged Mavundla into the conversation and accused her of attempted rape at popular music event, the Collins Chabane music festival, a few years ago.
In a reply to Mavundla and Mphela’s text on Twitter during an argument about the owners of Kwa Mai-Mai, Khumalo said: “Wena Yaya you must shut up. I lost respect for you when you tried to rape one of the guys we were invited with to attend the Collins Chabane event in Limpopo [in] 2019. We had to bang doors to stop you from forcing yourself on him.”
Sunday World has seen the letter of demand from Mavundla’s lawyers Maloka Makola Attorneys, where Khumalo was given until 6pm on Tuesday to apologise and retract her statements or face a lawsuit.
The lawyers also demanded that Khumalo pay Mavundla a sum of R300 000 within 21 days in damages as the Mzansi Magic reality TV show Becoming star lost income following Khumalo’s remarks.
The letter read: “Should you fail to do so, we will be constrained to file the necessary legal action against you, to protect the interest of our client. We will pursue both criminal and civil action with damages and attorney’s fees plus costs incurred by our client as a result of your actions which action will be institution without further notice.”
They demanded that by 6pm on Tuesday, Khumalo should send: “Confirmation that all defamatory posts of any nature whatsoever have been removed from all social media platforms… An undertaking that you will desist from any future false, defamatory and disparaging remarks about our client… A written detraction and apology addressed to our client and shared on all platforms wherein the defamatory material was shared.”
Khumalo had not yet responded to the demands by 12pm on Tuesday, and had seemingly gone to ground as she was not active on her social media pages.
The lawyers said her allegations against Mavundla were false and carried the sole intention of causing damage to her reputation and dignity.
“By extension, they have also been made in effort to disparage the good name and reputation of our client in both her personal and professional capacity, and to sully our client’s reputation within various sponsors/promoters.
“Your defamatory allegations have not only prejudiced our client but are also an act of bad faith as the allegations make direct reference to sexual offences and acts of being a perpetrator. Given the spurious and defamatory nature of your allegations, our client will be forced to take all necessary steps to clear her good name and reputation, including but not limited to, a defamation application against you as well as issuing a statement to the media, should the need arise,” the letter read.
Mavundla told Sunday World she was hurt by the remarks and that she spent the rest of the day explaining to friends and family that the allegations were false.
“After finding out about these shocking and much damaging untrue allegations I was shocked and at that moment exactly I started getting a lot of calls from friends and industry colleagues. I gave everyone my word that I didn’t do it. I do, however, remember the weekend very well as I was the one who was a victim of bullying that night and my privacy being invaded by the group of people I had travelled with wanting to see who I was with in my room.
“I then contacted my management that is based in the US to find a way forward and [they] advised me not to respond and requested we collect evidence first to prove my innocence. I have since collected enough proof and have it on record that I did not do any of what I am accused of,” she said.
She added that she lost sponsorships as a result of the incident. She said she plans to donate whatever amount the court decides Khumalo must pay in damages to an organisation supporting the LGBTI community.
Khumalo was not immediately available to comment.
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