South African singer Makhadzi has apologized publicly after drawing backlash for comments tied to rising anti-immigration tensions in the country, with the criticism coming ahead of planned demonstrations on 30 June.
The award-winning artist sparked a wave of debate on X (formerly Twitter) after she voiced concerns that Venda-speaking South Africans in Gauteng may be wrongly treated as foreign nationals. Her remarks quickly split opinion online, with some users saying her fears were valid while others accused her of inflaming tribal divisions and misunderstanding the wider immigration discussion.
In her first post, Makhadzi looked back at her own move from Limpopo to Gauteng in 2014, saying she felt pressure to learn Zulu in order to “fit in.” She also pointed to videos circulating online that show people being challenged about their identities and the languages they speak, describing the situation as unsettling.
“I never thought not knowing Zulu is a crime in South Africa,” she wrote. She later added that she was anxious about what may happen on 30 June, when anti-illegal immigration protests are expected in different parts of the country.
“For the fact that I know him personally, I am so emotional. I am worried on 30 June you are going to chase also Vhavenda in South Africa, or you are going to kill us. This is now too much,” she said, explaining that the situation felt like it had escalated beyond what people should be facing.
After the backlash, Makhadzi returned to social media on Monday morning with a longer statement, clarifying that she had no intention of offending South Africans. “My lovely South Africans, I would like to clarify that I am not a politician. I might not have stated my mind in a good manner because English is sometimes a problem for me. But I am really sorry for those who were affected by my previous post,” she wrote.
She said her concerns were shaped by viral clips in which Venda- and Tsonga-speaking people were allegedly told to prove their citizenship because their languages were unfamiliar to others. She also referenced an incident that affected her personally, describing how a Venda man was allegedly asked for identification by another South African citizen, and saying it left her deeply shaken.
As 30 June approached, Makhadzi further explained that she was worried about people working in Gauteng who may not know English and rely mainly on their home language, including Tshivenda. “As we are all looking forward to the 30th, I was really worried about others who are working in Gauteng who don’t know English, but they only know their language, which is Tshivenda,” she explained.
Her statement emphasized that her greatest fear was for minority language communities, who she said could face profiling or harassment during the planned protests. “My stress is from those who are still ignorant to be exposed of how we speak as Venda people. How are we going to deal with this whole situation on the 30th? We must go around with IDs or what?” she asked.
Makhadzi closed her message by apologizing again and saying she would be more careful when discussing sensitive issues publicly. “I am so sorry once again to all my people who were offended. We learn every day. Next time, I will keep quiet until I find a good way to approach any situation,” she wrote.
The controversy comes as South Africa continues grappling with national conversations surrounding xenophobia, illegal immigration, tribalism, and identity, with tensions playing out both online and within communities as the demonstrations draw near.
