EFF to lay criminal charges against Mampintsha

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have announced they would be laying criminal charges against Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo, after a video appearing to show him assaulting Gqom queen Babes Wodumo, real name Bongekile Simelane, went viral, evoking widespread outrage.

The party’s chairperson in the province, Vusi Khoza, will lead the KZN EFF to the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court to lay charges at 11am on Monday morning.

PRESS ALERT

ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS KWAZULU NATAL TO OPEN CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST MAMPINTSHA @EFFSouthAfrica @vusumuzikhoza@TheMercurySA @IsolezweNews @SABCNewsOnline @eNCA @ukhozi_fm @gagasifm pic.twitter.com/zouNHOLHQL

— EFF KZN (@EFFKZN) March 4, 2019

This follows a statement from the EFF nationally which condemned Maphumulo’s actions, calling them “repulsive and disgusting”.

The party called on those who see Mampintsha to “do a public arrest” and “take him to a police station”, and encouraged women who were victims of abuse “never to be silenced or threatened, but to speak out against violence”.

EFF condemns Mampintsha (Mandla Maphumulo) for abusing Babes Wodumo (Bongekile Simelane). pic.twitter.com/e71V6MDEZ9

— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) March 4, 2019

EFF spokesperson Doctor Mbuyiseni Ndlozi tweeted in support of the hashtag #ArrestMampintsha.

He is one of several prominent South Africans who has called for the producer and musician, best known as being a member of kwaito group Big Nuz, to be arrested.

Others include Sizwe Dlhomo, Hlomla Dandala, and DJ Zinhle. Boity Thulo, meanwhile, called for radio stations not to give Mampintsha a chance to defend himself on air, and Ntsiki Mazwai called for events promoters to stop booking him.

As a country, we are now all witnesses of the abuse of Babes Wodumo by #Mampinthsa. The call to #ArrestMampinthsa is significant because we are refusing to be complacent with unforgivable crime of women abuse. For if nothing is done, the next step is murder. #ArrestMampinthsa

— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) March 4, 2019

https://twitter.com/HlomlaDandala/status/1102411618573533189

https://twitter.com/SizweDhlomo/status/1102454878033592320

Mampintsha needs to be stopped. I hope they make an example out of him so every man knows that hitting a woman is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. My heart breaks for Babes. 💔

— #ERAbyDJZinhle #ZeeNation (@DJZinhle) March 4, 2019

Can we please not have any radio station inviting Mampintsha for “his side of the story”. He can share his side on a prison community radio station.

— Boity Thulo (@Boity) March 4, 2019

STOP BOOKING MAMPINTSHA

— NtsikiMazwaiMedia (@ntsikimazwai) March 3, 2019

A video in which singer and dancer Babes Wodumo can be seen being beaten, allegedly by Maphumulo, had South Africa seething on Monday morning.

Attempts to contact Maphumolo through his publicist at West Ink Bookings were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

He has been accused of beating her before.

The footage is apparently from a live Instagram video broadcast she was doing with fans overnight.

READ MORE: Mampintsha responds to Babes Wodumo abuse allegations

Although she or someone else allegedly deleted the original video, clips of it have nevertheless been doing the rounds, especially on Twitter, where the videos have been trending all morning.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting by Charles Cilliers and Vhahangwele Nemakonde).

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