The #MeToo wave was revolutionary as it saw many victims of sexual assault, especially celebrities around the world, share their stories. While it served as proof of the horrible things people do to each other, it also served to show that victims can be heard, and they no longer had to hide their stories for fear of being dismissed or blamed.
We have to acknowledge how hard it must be to share something so intimate, and the risks that come with it. So today we choose to celebrate the brave Mzansi celebrities who have spoken openly about being sexually abused.
Amanda du Pont
Skeem Saam actress Amanda du Pont recently caused a social media meltdown when she came forth with allegations that Uyajola 9/9 host Jub Jub had sexually abused her.
She said it happened over a span of two years when the two of them were in a relationship, and further alleged that he had also abused her physically and tried to kill her.
Although she was widely questioned by sceptics, she also received an outpouring of love and support as many imagined the trauma of reliving the experience. She has since reportedly taken the matter to the authorities, and investigations are presumably underway.
Read more: "I Was Raped For Two Years By Jub Jub"- Amanda Du Pont
Masechaba Ndlovu
Jub Jub’s accusations by Amanda signalled the beginning of his “fortieth day”, as more allegations came flying in. TV host Masechaba Ndlovu came forward to show her support for Amanda, saying she believed the actress because he had done it to her too.
She said she was a teenager at the time, and it happened in Jub Jub’s mother, Mama Jackie Maarohanye’s house. She joined Amanda in undertaking proceedings against the rapper, which are still underway.
Read more: Amanda And Masechaba Have No Time For Mama Jackie
The two ladies stood strong together against Mama Jackie, who tried to get them to retract their statements and issue public apologies. They also offered support to yet another lady who came out saying she was the rapper’s cousin, and he had abused her too.
Read more: "Jub Jub Raped Me Too"- Masechaba Ndlovu
Sean Pages
Unfortunately, most sexual assault victims are usually women. To make it worse, this often results in male victims’ stories either getting lost in the masses or being downplayed and ignored. But they exist too, and sadly rapper Sean Pages is one of them.
The Put Em In Line rapper opened up in the midst of the #MeToo campaign. He shared that his uncle, a notorious thug who raped multiple girls back in the 1980s, had molested him too. He talked about how his parents never believed him, which caused him to grow up all messed up.
He talked about how long he wished he would end the perpetrator’s life, but someone got to him first. In the end, he advised parents to take care of and believe their children.
Read more: Sean Pages opens up about being sexually abused
Read more: Sean Pages opens up about being sexually abused
Gigi Lamayne
Feelin U rapper Gigi Lamayne recently had something of a meltdown on social media where she talked about struggling to find a reason to live. She said she had been bullied a lot on social media, and she was broken and reeling from being associated with and called “friends” with one of the women who bullied her, controversial club promoter Inno Morolong.
In the thread, she also revealed that she had been abused as a child, but did not give further details. In 2021, she was also hijacked and almost raped, as she recounted the incident where she threw her phone into the bush, and the hijackers thought rape would be the best way to punish her.
Read more: "I Wouldn't Mind A Bus Running Into Me" - Gigi
Zoleka Mandela
Nelson Mandela’s daughter and author Zoleka Mandela raised her voice to tell her story in the wake of rising awareness on Gender Based Violence. She was abused multiple times in her childhood, by both men and women, and she said for a long time she thought it was all her fault.
The proud soon-to-be mother of six has been very vocal about the things she has gone through in her life, and has even published her autobiography. She believes that her drug and sex addictions were a result of the early childhood abuse, as well as multiple suicide attempts.
But she is doing much better now, thankfully. She has since recovered from her addictions, and is happily raising her beautiful family. We love to see her glow.
Lady Zamar
This one may be a bit controversial depending on who you believe, but Lady Zamar has also been vocal about being sexually assaulted by musician Sjava. She opened a case against him at a local police station, which was later handed over to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). But the NPA soon threw it out, starting Lady Zamar’s problems with the public.
She faced a lot of backlash as many deemed the case dismissal to mean that she had faked the allegations. The incident has since coloured all her interactions with Mzansi, and it looks like Sjava fans are yet to forgive her for the perceived betrayal. She is ready to return to the industry after a two year hiatus, and we hope Mzansi will give her a chance this time.
Read more: Mzansi Brings Lady Zamar To Her Knees
Ntsiki Mazwai
In the midst of Lady Zamar’s saga, poet Ntsiki Mazwai came out strongly to support her. She slammed women who don’t believe victims when they share their stories, and called them rape apologists.
She said she could understand Lady Zamar’s situation because she too was a victim of sexual assault. She was raped by a popular Mzansi celebrity, but she did not expose his identity. She also took it as an opportunity to talk about the injustice dealt to rape victims in the country, as she considered the justice system deliberately incompetent on all matters rape.
Read more: Ntsiki Mazwai Fully Supports Lady Zamar
Rami Chuene
Star actress and published author Rami Chuene in an interview with Anele Mdoda, revealed that she was sexually abused twice, by close family members, between the ages of six and eight. Talking to Anele, she said she had been forced to unpack the incidents when she was working on her book, which is some of the most traumatic stuff she has ever had to do.
But Rami is brave, and she powered through the pain of being re-traumatized in the hopes that sharing her story will make other victims know that they are not alone.
Read more: Rami Chuene opens up about being raped
We cannot neglect the sacrifice made by these ZAlebs in sharing their stories at the risk of being bullied. We owe a duty to them, ourselves and future generations to rise up and condemn all forms of sexual abuse.