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Breezy’s upcoming concert keeps tongues wagging

todayOctober 8, 2024 136

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Photo Credit: @chrisbrown

South Africans remain divided over Chris “Breezy” Brown’s upcoming concert in the country.

While some believe he should be barred from entering South Africa, which has a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) crisis that needs to be addressed, others say – that’s not going to solve the issue.

Like anti-GBV NPO, Women for Change, GBV Monitor South Africa founder, Omogolo Taunyane-Mnguni, is one of those who believes that the uproar over Breezy’s much-anticipated concert is valid.

Her remarks come amid a raging debate on social media over the singer’s December 14-15 SA tour, which is hailed as the biggest event in South Africa this year.

The debate is over the heartthrob’s past brush with the law, with his 2009 assault of his then girlfriend, Rihanna, at the eye of the storm.

Breezy’s fans have slammed his critics for what they call, selective activism.

A label Tauyane-Mguni believes is unfair.

Some South Africans, however, believe that the uproar is unwarranted as Brown committed the crime while he was still young; has done his time and has seemingly turned a new leaf.

Former UCT vice-chancellor, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, says not going to the concert won’t solve the GBV and femicide crisis the country is grappling with.

She is one of the thousands of fans who are excited over Breezy’s upcoming performance in Johannesburg.

Mguni-Tauyane says while Phakeng has a point, banning Brown would send a message to celebrities and society in general that South Africa doesn’t tolerate GBV, which she believes would make a huge difference in the fight against the scourge.

Tauyane-Mguni says perpetrators of GBV, no matter their status, should face consequences for their actions.

She says society also needs to play a role in teaching the younger generation about how to treat women and be better citizens all round.

 

Politician, social, and gender justice activist, Anele Mda, says South Africa has reached a level of hypocrisy, when it comes to some issues such as GBV.

“For a country which is marred by unprecedented high margins of Femicide and GBV, to open itself to welcoming and celebrating a known woman basher in the form of Chris Brown, there’s a deep concern of the kind of people we are becoming that we should really ponder on and really question our principles and solid commitment to playing our responsible role in ensuring that we rid our country of GBV and femicide,” says Mda.

She says it is disheartening to see some people calling out others who have voiced their opinion on this as being “selective activists”.

Mda believes that anyone who shows irritation and disgust to calls that any woman basher and GBV perpetrator like Chris Brown be shunned is either a GBV and femicide enabler or perpetrator.

“To imagine that those of us who hold space against GBV can be characterised as selective activists that’s just lazy figment of imagination of the incorrigible women rapists, sexual and predators, bashers and child molesters,” she says.

On the other hand, award-winning artist Makhadzi, expressed disappointment that South Africans rushed to grab tickets to Breezy’s concert, with tickets selling out in just two hours, while she is struggling to fill up the Peter Mokaba Stadium for her show, which is also taking place in December.

The Limpopo-born singer says she has been advertising the gig for two months but only a few tickets have so far been bought.

Her cries saw Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, spring into action, pledging to buy 200 tickets to the “Jealous Down” hitmaker’s One Woman show.

Written by: Nonhlanhla Harris

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