Television and radio personality Somizi Mhlongo has apologised to songbird Zahara for what he said at the SA Music Awards on Saturday night.

The annual awards took place at the Sun City Superbowl in North West. Mhlongo, who was one of the hosts, joked about Zahara. "We are almost at the end of the show. There is an amazing after-party, where is Zahara? ... useke bar [Is she already at the bar]?"

However, Mhlongo said yesterday: "I only mentioned the bar and her name, not alcohol. But if that offended her I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt or harm her. It was just a joke.

"Askies Zahara, I was just having fun. I joked about a lot of people, including Khanyi Mbau that she was white. I made a joke about Babes Wodumo and she was laughing."

Zahara had taken to social media announcing her intentions to sue both Mhlongo and the Samas.

"I don't know if this was a scripted comment or if it came directly from Somizi. But I'm preparing to file a lawsuit against Sama and Somizi himself. They will work it out among themselves as to who was at fault for the disrespectul comment," the musician told Sowetan yesterday.

Zahara, who was born Bulelwa Mkutukana, said what upset her most was that Somizi is a public figure, and people take what he said seriously.

"The show was broadcast to millions of South Africans, and for him to say that was completely out of line. My mom even called me very concerned about me. That comment seriously offended me and my family!"

Zahara said that she had tried to reach Mhlongo, but he did not answer his phone or return her calls.

"I need that apology or I am proceeding with the lawsuit. As much as he said that on a public forum, I expect Somizi to publicly apologise to me as well. I also expect an apology from the Samas, as they should have known that he was out of line."

But Mhlongo said his comments had nothing to do with Recording Industry of SA (RiSA) and VWV Production, a company that produced the show.

RiSA chief executive, Nhlanhla Sibisi, said Mhlongo's commentary was unfortunate, and he had told him so. "When I heard some of the comments he made on stage, I immediately thought they were unfortunate. I told him that he would need to apologise," Sibisi said.