South African singer and activist Simphiwe Dana has publicly demanded an apology from politician Gayton McKenzie. The call for an apology comes after McKenzie made statements that Dana found offensive and unacceptable. Dana, known for her outspoken nature and advocacy on social issues, took to social media to express her displeasure and demand a formal apology from McKenzie.
The incident has garnered significant attention, with many fans and supporters standing by Dana’s side, echoing her call for accountability. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen whether McKenzie will respond to Dana’s demand and how the issue will be resolved.
Dana, in chat with her followers on her page, explained that her details were used to benefit, and she did not get a cent. Replying to a follower, Dana said: “The only thing I did during Covid-19 was apply to create work for my band members. I didn’t earn anything for myself personally. It was 18 months of hell. Now the application Titi submitted came from my email. Which, if true, is fraud. And suddenly, they’ve lost the documents, so I can ascertain what really happened,” she said.
Dana also believes what McKenzie is doing is alienating artists. She said, “He’s alienating artists and his job is to work with them. But the public seems to like him. It’s not difficult to turn them on him. Bonang (Matheba) turned people on Nathi Mthethwa,” she wrote.
She is also worried that her brand will be affected by these accusations. “The problem is that my brand is affected because people suppose I used government funds when there were qualified people who needed them. Also, he put the whole thing in an accusatory manner. As an activist, this annoys me greatly.
I may let it go. But I need to know why my email was claimed to be in it,” she said. The Department of Arts and Culture spokesperson Zimasa Velaphi said the department had not received an official complaint from Dana. “We can only respond once she has officially complained and investigate properly,” Velaphi said.