Despite moving the hearts of many following his honouring words towards musician Unathi Nkayi, the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture’s comments about the singer have been criticised by Ntsiki Mazwai.
A recent video showing the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Gayton Mckenzie has recently melted the hearts of many South Africans after he acknowledged former Idols SA judge Unathi Nkayi for her contributions to musicals throughout her career.
Speaking at the event, in which the singer was in attendance, he criticised those who did not celebrate our artists due to personal vendettas, saying that she is going to blossom under his reign as minister.
“The ones that were planning that this woman must be destroyed, they got something coming,” he said.
“No person must be destroyed. Whether we like people, we must make sure their talent gets appreciated. This thing of South Africa where we destroy people when we don’t like them, it must come to an end. It will come to an end with me,” he reiterated.
In the clip, which was shared by the musician, she is seen moved by his kind words and support as she gets emotional during his speech.
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The comments come off the back of ongoing court battles between Unathi and her former employer Kaya FM. This was after she accused former colleague Sizwe Dhlomo of being verbally abusive and unprofessional. With the situation having led to an “unfair” departure from the station, she has now taken things to court.
Sharing her own opinion on the matter musician and poet Nstiki Mazwai weighed in on the trending video and accused Unathi of lying.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote: “No guys… we literally heard live audio and saw Unathi lying about another man. In a country that struggles with GBV and men using false allegations to protect themselves”
She added: “Unathi has never stood for other women and yet she was able to weaponise the GBV to manipulate. No.”
Others, meanwhile, weighed in:
I applaud Minister to raise the issue of blackmailing that still continuing in our art industry by so called powerful people. I think Unathi gone through alot in her life n i wish minister help her to come back n do what she always loved,radio.
— Kgadi Moruno (@moruno179) December 18, 2024
Another commented:
What Unathi did was deplorable, ultimately people do make mistakes, how long will we continue to villainise/cancel her?
— Ramz (@RamzAFC) December 18, 2024
Also see: Ntsiki Mazwai accuses Gallo Music of exploiting her | Bona Magazine
