Fikile Mbalula has defended TV personality Lerato Kganyago after the star was accused of being dramatic and looking for attention‚ following a racial altercation earlier this week.

Lerato was allegedly strangled by a white man on Monday after an altercation at a Pick n Pay store in Johannesburg. Lerato claimed that her domestic worker was allegedly called the K-word by a woman for apparently standing in the way of another shopper.

Lerato alleges that shortly after she and the woman got embroiled in a heated verbal exchange‚ the woman's husband allegedly started choking Lerato. Taking to Twitter shortly after the incident Lerato said she had laid a charge with police who were tracking down the family.

The incident has sparked massive debate on social media and Lerato took to Twitter on Thursday to vent her frustration at the criticism she was receiving.

In a post she questioned whether she had to die before someone took her seriously.

Fans rushed to offer their support to the star and one of the first was Mbaweezy‚ who urged her not to be distracted by a couple of bad apples.

He further urged her to “continue with the activism”.