DURBAN – Babes Wodumo’s father has spoken out for the first time on allegations that his chart- topping daughter was allegedly abused by her ex-lover, fellow musician Mampintsha.

Wodumo’s father, Reverend Welcome Simelane, said: “She is older than 21 now. She is independent and a grown woman, she knows what is wrong or right for her. Even if she was to get married without my knowledge, it doesn’t matter because she makes her own decisions.

“As a bishop I always preach about such things. There’s no relationship without problems but it’s up to people to make their own decisions based on what they deem as right. I raised Babes and she is above 21 years old now, she must take a right decision for herself.”

Wodumo, whose real name is Bongekile Simelane, was on Metro FM’s The Drive show with Mo Flava and Masechaba Ndlovu on Friday when the claims were made by Ndlovu. Wodumo said very little and nodded as Ndlovu called out Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo for allegedly physically abusing her.

King William’s Town – Msobomvu police are investigating a case of culpable homicide after a pedestrian died when he was hit by a car on the N2 at Butterworth on Saturday evening, Eastern Cape police said.

“It is alleged that a vehicle hit a pedestrian on Saturday 19 May 2018 at about [5.40pm] along [the] N2 road not far from Walter Sisulu University, Butterworth,” Captain Jackson Manatha said.

The male pedestrian was rushed to Butterworth Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. He had not yet been identified and police appealed to anyone who could assist in identifying the man to contact Msobomvu police at 047-492-0180, Manatha said.

Johannesburg – The family of the late Miriam Makeba and her business manager are expected to square off in court on Monday over the control of the music icon’s legacy.
Makeba’s family have vowed to expose the “fraudulent” activities of Graeme Gilfillan, whom they accuse of using deceitful means to claim Makeba’s intellectual property rights – and the royalties that go with them from her more than 30 albums.

The matter, which is due to be heard in the high court in Pretoria on Monday, is expected to shine the spotlight on the contentious issue of ownership royalties that often pits artists against their managing companies.

In October last year, Gilfillan through his company, Siyandisa Music, filed an application to interdict Makeba’s grandchildren Lumumba and Zenzile Lee from acting as the proprietors of the intellectual property rights of Makeba without approval.

The news that the South African Hall of Fame planned to induct Makeba in November set in motion an acrimonious legal battle that has been raging since 2004. Makeba’s family had earlier learnt that the Grammy award-winning artist had signed “a fictitious” licence contract, called ZM Makeba Trust, with Siyandisa. The alleged contract was signed by Makeba and one of her grandchildren, Dumisani, according to Zenzile.

DURBAN – Screams of “help, help me, help me in room 101”, still linger in the mind of a student who lived next door to Mangosuthu University of Technology student Zolile Khumalo who was shot dead, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend, Thabani Mzolo, this month.
The female student, who did not want to be named, spoke to The Independent on Saturday this week when the Deputy Minister of Police Bongani Mkongi was on a walkabout at the Lonsdale residency after Mzolo’s appearance at the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

The student said she had difficulty being alone and could not sleep in her room by herself.

“I can only fall asleep if someone is with me. When I am not asleep, I get a fright and jump if there’s a knock at the door,” she said.

Mzolo, who was rumoured to have been a bodyguard to an Estcourt councillor in the past, is charged with murder and possession of a prohibited firearm. He is expected to apply for bail on June 19.