Publicist Boniswa Meslane asks DJ Black Coffee if he is holding his ‘abusive brothers’ accountable

Popular musician Nkosinathi “DJ Black Coffee” Maphumulo has found himself at the centre of yet another media storm after his statement denouncing his former manager amid the renewed spotlight on South Africa’s rape and gender-based violence (GBV) crisis. 

This comes a week after the brutal murders of three women dominated headlines in South Africa for days on end.

Naledi Phangindawo, 25, from KwaNonqaba died after being attacked by a 34-year-old man with a sharp object. 

Tshegofatso Pule, 28, was found stabbed and hanged in a veld in Roodepoort last Monday. 

An unnamed 45-year-old woman was found dumped on an open field in the Eastern Cape on 5 June by a passer-by. Her boyfriend was arrested and charged for her murder. 

In response, Black Coffee announced, in a since-deleted tweet, that he would be organising a march against GBV that was set to take place in Soweto today. 

“I have so much to say about this… to you. I have reached out to you before. You know about Amaru and what he did to me. You never said a word. Maybe it wasn’t your place… but yeah,”said publicist Boniswa Meslane. 

Meslane is a former employee of Black Coffee’s and was romantically involved with another employee of Black Coffee’s. An employee that Meslane alleges abused her physically and emotionally for the duration of their relationship. She also alleges that said employee raped her.  

When questioned by a fan who took objection to her tweet on behalf of Black Coffee, Meslane responded: “I left Soulistic Music years ago. This is about someone who knows both me and the perpetrator but never said anything but can come here and say he lets march.” [sic]

“Bonnie I am sorry that you went through this ordeal, I am sorry that you couldn’t find the help and support you needed from the authorities but your tweets are misleading please state all the facts,” began Black Coffee in response. 

READ NEXT: Gender-based violence is a societal problem, says Bheki Cele

The DJ then proceeded to share his thoughts on the matter in a thread series of tweets. 

In 2016 @sisboniswa tendered her resignation from my company on the grounds that Amaru was constantly narcistic, emotionally abusive & difficult to work with.
In 2018 Amaru and I were embroiled in a legal dispute which resulted in the termination of his employment.

— Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) June 15, 2020

“In 2016, @sisboniswa tendered her resignation from my company on the grounds that Amaru was constantly narcissistic, emotionally abusive & difficult to work with. In 2018, Amaru and I were embroiled in a legal dispute which resulted in the termination of his employment.

He went on to start his own Agency in 2018 and the first employee in this Agency was in fact @sisboniswa. I don’t have any kind of relationship with Amaru since our 2018 fallout @sisboniswa knows this. I was only made aware of the rape allegations thru social media at this point.

I had no contact or any form of relations with @sisboniswa since she went back to work with Amaru. This, however, doesn’t mean that I don’t believe her. I believe @sisboniswa. I am sorry the system let her down,” tweeted Black Coffee before concluding, “Myself and Amaru are still in a legal dispute. I have no relationship or friendship with him and I do not speak on his behalf or for him.”

Meslane objected, stating that she resigned from his company in January 2015 and not 2016. 

https://twitter.com/sisboniswa/status/1272438450898309120?s=20

Sometime later, Black Coffee simply tweeted: “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” and was further lambasted by various Twitter users for the response.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

— Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) June 14, 2020

This is what fake allyship looks like. He wanted a 🍪 for arranging a march for ‘our women’ but when women engaged him on what we *actually* want, this is the response. Try listening next time! https://t.co/C6aO83W4Kq

— Janine (@janine_j) June 15, 2020

You feel this way because you never cared to begin with. It was all an act and it didn't go as you planned. https://t.co/3LdWJKJ0vg

— The One Mighty and Strong (@Leora_Ocean) June 14, 2020

The Citizen reached out to Meslane for comment seeing as she objected to Black Coffee’s version of events but she opted, instead, to share her response in an open letter addressed to Black Coffee and posted on social media. 

https://twitter.com/sisboniswa/status/1272483163575640066?s=20

“Dear Nathi… I have watched how you chose to poke holes into my credibility, based on my having worked with Amaru after I left your employ, where I had reported him to you for his emotional and psychological abuse towards me. You did NOTHING. You said ‘we’ll talk’ and we never talked and I left,” wrote Meslane. 

She went on to detail how her alleged abuser reached out to her through a friend to make amends and shared that she decided to forgive him for the emotional abuse after speaking to her other former colleagues who had undergone the same alleged abuse.   

According to Meslane, her alleged abuser then offered her company a brief contract while he still worked for Black Coffee and added that they agreed to take on the work. 

She detailed the events leading up to the alleged incident in question. 

“I am NOT angry, nor am I a problematic black woman. I am NOT out here demanding Black Coffee to account where Amaru has failed to account. I was and will continue to take that issue with him, that before taking up the fight and march on my behalf as a woman, what has he done in relation to his inner circle that’s peppered with abusers and date rapers.

“Sadly his response was to invalidate my rape experience at the hands of his former business associate and personal friend,” added Meslane. 

“It’s great that you’re advocating and marching, but what’s next? Are you following it up after the public marching? Are you holding your abusive brother accountable, as they march next to you?” 

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