What was set to be another stellar performance by South Africa’s rising star, Naledi Aphiwe, took a shocking turn at Mthandeni’s Summer Experience in eMdletsheni, KZN.
The Inanda-born singer-songwriter, who shot to fame after her vocals were featured on Chris Brown’s “11:11,” found herself in a chaotic scene, the crowd’s patience snapped like a cheap string and the chaos began.
Aphiwe, a 2024 Basadi in Music Award winner for Sofnfree Afro Pop Artist of the Year, has been enjoying a meteoric rise.
Her single "Ngiyabonga" has been a hit with fans across Mzansi. However, her performance over the weekend was anything but smooth.
In a viral video that’s been making rounds on social media, Aphiwe and her team are seen stepping onto the stage during what seems to be a performance by Gatsheni.
The disruption led to confusion with Gatsheni and his dancers leaving the stage abruptly. As Aphiwe began her set, the crowd's frustration boiled over, resulting in bottles and paper cups being hurled at the young star.
The situation escalated quickly, forcing her to be escorted off the stage for her safety. Fans expressed mixed emotions, with some blaming the organisers for the mishap and others voicing disappointment over how the situation was handled.
Naledi Aphiwe was taken off stage when people started throwing bottles at her yesterday. pic.twitter.com/eqwlWdIF69
X user @Top_dawg15 blamed management for the mishap: “Her manager did not plan this properly. You can’t force artist to go perform while other artist is still in stage.
“This angered the crowd cause it was still their favourite artist Gatsheni who was still performing. Throwing bottles is not right though. Poor planning by her manager.”
@TSelekane44539 commented: “Shameful behaviour from the crowd. Imagine someone throwing bottles at your child just trying to showcase their talent. Le sele lona.”
@patriotman007 added: “That’s terrible and completely unacceptable. No one should ever feel unsafe while performing. Hopefully, the incident is addressed and the focus can return to supporting artists, not disrupting their work.”