Dramatic testimony in the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial has cost Afro-pop powerhouse Kelly Khumalo a place in the line-up of Tribute to Women Festival.
Khumalo was booked to perform at the annual festival on August 12, which will take place at the family friendly Emmarentia Botanical Gardens in Johannesburg.
Celebrating its fifth birthday, the star-studded event will feature household names including Amanda Black, Pabi Cooper, Nkosazana Daughter, Mafikizolo, Sjava, Kabza De Small, and Vusi Nova.
In a statement, the organisers said a decision to drop Khumalo was as a result of new information in Meyiwa’s murder trial at the Pretoria High Court.
A witnesses testified last week that Khumalo allegedly made contact with one of the man suspected to have murdered the soccer star.
Meyiwa was gunned down while visiting Khumalo at her home in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg on October 26 2014.
The two were in a romantic relationship at the time of Meyiwa’s death.
Tribute to Women organisers said they have noted with concern comments made on social media platforms, as well as calls from festival goers to drop Khumalo.
They added that they respect legal processes and indicated that the Afro-pop powerhouse is innocent until proven otherwise.
“However, in the interest of safeguarding our festival, management decided to relieve Ms Khumalo of her obligations to perform at our festival this year,” reads the statement.
“[This is] to afford her and her team the time they require to deal with the issues emanating from the current court proceedings.”
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