THE drama surrounding iconic Afro-pop group Malaika continues to unfold.
On Sunday, 4 October, former member Tshedi Mholo disrupted a performance by Bongani Nchang and his new vocalist Tsoakae Molipa at Marks Pub in Hebron, forcing the show to come to a halt.
Malaika, once a celebrated trio, has not performed in its original form since the passing of Jabulani Ndaba in 2008 and Tshedi's departure from the group in 2021.
Despite the changes, Bongani has continued to perform under the group's banner with a new singer.
The latest conflict stems from Tshedi's objections to Bongani allegedly using her name to book gigs and performing Malaika's classic hits with her replacement.
Bongani, however, insists he has been transparent about the group's new setup.
Videos of the incident have been circulating on social media.
In the footage, Bongani is seen performing with the new member when Tshedi unexpectedly joins them on stage and begins dancing.
Things take an awkward turn when she appears to ask the new vocalist to hand her the microphone.
Daily Sun reached out to Tshedi to find out what transpired.
She explained that she had gone to the venue to enjoy herself with friends.
She said she was seated in the VIP area, and when Malaika went on stage, she decided to join them because, in her words, she is still part of the duo.
"I was only requesting the lady to hand me the mic because I wanted to enjoy the moment with her, and it turned out the way people are viewing it. I was not there for animosity," she said.
Tshedi added that since questions have been raised, she wants to clarify her position.
"Malaika is Tshedi, Jabu and Bongani. The songs belong to Malaika. It is a business name, and we are all earning royalties, excluding this new lady. I'm still earning royalties to date. For any performances that are happening under the banner of the group, I'm entitled to the share which I never got."
She urged the public to consider the situation from a balanced perspective.
"Malaika is a trio which turned out to be a duo. So, if you say you are Malaika and you represent yourself as Malaika, it's a bit unfair for those who came and paid to see both of us."
Daily Sun also spoke to Bongani, and he said that Tshedi has been planning to do this for years.
He said that she once shared online that she would come to their performance and make a scene.
"Last year December, she said that she'd come to one of our shows to cause drama. When we got to the venue, we were alerted that she was present. She came on stage when we were performing our last song, and she wanted us to hand her the mic," he said.
Bongani said that he refused to give her the mic.
"She went to the DJ, wanting to stop the music. She then went to my wife, who was standing next to the stage and assaulted her, also calling her names," he said.
Bongani said that he was shocked.
"I pity her more than anything because this is the person who quit the group. She said that I can replace her and that she wants nothing to do with the group. She wasn't fired; she wasn't ill-treated. We were even doing gigs together, and out of the blue, she decided to quit."
He said that she has also been performing alone, and he has never had a problem with her.
"I've never done anything or even gone around talking about her," he said.
