‘Don’t shut up, speak up’: GOOD party joins GBV activists’ call against Chris Brown concert

The GOOD party said it is concerned about the message Chris Brown’s upcoming December concert is sending to South Africans.

Tickets for the American singer’s upcoming concert at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg sold out in less than three hours earlier this month.

The concert, set for 14 December 2024, is part of Brown’s highly anticipated South African tour.

“The GOOD party joins GBVF and Womens’ Rights activists who are demanding ‘no stage for abusers’,” said the party in a statement on Wednesday.

‘Don’t shut up. Speak up’

“GOOD has run an extensive anti-GBVF campaign, ‘Don’t Shut Up. Speak Up’ and now we all need to walk our talk. Given the South African GBVF pandemic we cannot separate the art from the artist,” the organisations said.

The recent crime statistics (April 2024 to June 2024) noted a year-on-year increase in contact crimes against women. At least 966 women were murdered in the three months and over 13,000 cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm were reported.

ALSO READ: Chris Brown: Why are we giving an abuser a platform?

GOOD party, GBVF and Womens’ Rights said South Africa “cannot afford to normalise or platform a known abuser.”

“We have a responsibility to prove we are taking gender-based violence (GBV) seriously. His performance is scheduled just days after the country observes 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.

“The fight against GBVF (gender-based violence and femicide) is not just big bold actions taken by government but rather a collection of the daily decisions taken by ordinary citizens,” they said.

GBV

GOOD party, GBVF and Womens’ Rights have called on the concert organisers and those who plan to attend Brown’s concert to think about the “implications of placing a man like him on a pedestal.”

“It is time we stood up in a collective voice and said no to abuse.”

Brown is a serial offender. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault after abusing former girlfriend and fellow musician, Rihanna.

In 2017, a judge granted ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran a restraining order following threats of violence. Brown has also faced multiple other allegations of abuse.

ALSO READ: Chris Brown shatters records as Johannesburg show sells out in under three hours, additional date added