WATCH | Somizi won't apologise to journalists amid accusations of 'abuse' and 'intimidation'

“I am not apologising for what I did. I would never sell my soul to put bread on the table, I would rather die standing than live longer on my knees,” said Somizi.

20 January 2021 - 09:19 By chrizelda kekana
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Somizi refused to apologise to journalists.
Somizi refused to apologise to journalists.
Image: Gallo Images/Oupa Bopape

Choreographer and media personality Somizi Mhlongo-Motaung has made it clear that he has no intention of “apologising” to journalists he “abused” and whose contact details he shared on social media.

The SA National Editors' Forum (Sanef) issued a statement on Tuesday, calling for Somizi to “unreservedly apologise to these journalists and the public on all his social platforms for his unbecoming behaviour”.

Sanef also encouraged the journalists to lay charges of intimidation against Somizi. 

In a lengthy Instagram video, Somizi gave his version of events and made it clear that he would not apologise and was ready for whatever consequences that brought.

“I am not apologising for what I did. The only thing that I know I did wrong was to post her private number but I did that deliberately”, Somizi said.

The two journalists — Sunday World acting editor Kabelo Khumalo and City Press's Julia Madibogo — sent questions to Somizi for separate stories they were working on last week.

Somizi responded to Julia's request for comment by posting a screenshot on his social media, asking his followers to dial the journalist's number. The Idols SA judge also used vulgar language in his response to Kabelo and called him obscene names, before also sharing his contact details on social media. 

Sanef said this resulted in the reporters and/or their family members being threatened with death and rape, apparently by Somizi's fans.

Even though Somizi admitted that he was “wrong” to share the journalists' private number on social media, he added that he was “angry and did it deliberately”. 

“I decided to make the journalist feel what it feels like to have your privacy invaded. And I posted the message that she sent me on my social media and I posted it with her number, and since then people are saying there must be action taken against me.

“Some of my close friends were saying I must apologise and people even went to a point where they tagged companies I work with”, he said.

Somizi added that tagging his bosses or sponsors would not “force” him to apologise, explaining that he would never “sell his soul” for bread on the table.

“I don't feel like I have to apologise for standing up for myself. The only thing I am apologising for was publicising the private number,” he said. 

Watch the full video below.


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