Amapiano producers and DJs Kabza DeSmall and Maphorisa were app arently issued with a warrant of arrest in Zimbabwe yesterday after allegedly failing to pay promoters their due.

The High Court of Zimbabwe issued a warrant of arrest for the two after they allegedly failed to perform at an event in Zimbabwe and failed to refund Victoria Falls Carnival promoters who had booked them. The event was staged in April 2022 where the two allegedly did not arrive for their performance despite being paid in full.

The carnival organisers applied for an arrest warrant for DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small after they performed at another show in Bulawayo at the weekend.

According to a Zimbabwean online publication, the artists managed to pay an amount of R315,000 as ordered by the court through their lawyer. The duo’s manager Thuli Keupilwe refused to comment on the matter when she was called on Monday night.

There were conflicting reports from Zimbabwe on Monday night on whether the duo had been arrested.

The court papers read in part: “Now therefore you are required and directed that you take Petrus Kabelo Motha [Kabza] and Themba Sonnyboy Sekowe [Maphorisa] of which they are found in Zimbabwe and deliver them to the keeper of the gaol at Bulawayo Prison, together with a copy of this writ, there to be safely kept until they are served with the summons against them issued by the High Court in Bulawayo …”

bambalelep@sowetan.co.za