Babes Wodumo lays a criminal charge against Mampintsha

Gqom star Babes Wodumo last night laid a charge of assault against her boyfriend and kwaito hit maker Mampintsha.

This was confirmed by Babes father, Reverend Welcome Simelane, this evening.

Simelane told the Sowetan that that “we as a family did go to the police station to lay a charge of assault against Mampintsha”.

Following the case being opened, police have called on Mampintsha to turn himself in at the Westville police station in Durban in connection with the assault of Babes.

National police spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo on Monday evening would not be drawn into confirming whether Babes, real name Bongekile Simelane, had opened a case against her boyfriend Mandla ‘Mampintsha’ Maphumulo.

Babes was on Sunday seen on an Instagram live video – which was later deleted – being assaulted both physically and verbally by Mampintsha.

Naidoo said the police were inviting Mampintsha to the police station, based outside Durban, to assist the law enforcement agents with the case.

“We will not confirm or deny whether a case has been opened as it poses a risk. However, her partner, we are asking him to come forward as it would assist us with the investigation,” Naidoo said.

In the video, the pair is heard exchanging insults. Babes is then seen walking across the room before Mampintsha hurriedly moves towards her with his hand raised and they disappear from the screen.  A sound of a slap is heard. They immediately appear again, with Babes seen cowering and whimpering while he hits her with his open hand on her back.

Simelane, yesterday said he had been aware of her daughter's abuse for a while but that there was nothing he could do as she keeps going back to him.

In an interview with Vuma FM, Simelane accused Mampintsha of using muthi to keep her daughter from leaving him.

"uMandla wayidlisa le nganeyam [he gave my daughter muthi] because she told me that she found a voodoo doll under her mattress written 'Babes', which means when he pokes this thing, he pokes Babes.

"This means he went somewhere (witch-doctor) and they made him a doll which is basically Babes and when she tries to leave him, he calls her back by using this doll. So Babes took a picture of this thing, Mandla's muthi."

He said he was not convinced that his daughter's case would see the light of day "as officers at Westville police station are on Mampintsha's payroll".

However, Naidoo said the allegations that Mampintsha was bribing police were viewed in a serious light.

"We need the father to provide a statement and to bring names of the police so that we can take action. If people think police are in their pockets, they can think again."

Simelane also accused Mampintsha of controlling his daughter's finances. In an interview with eNCA, he said Mampintsha had been using the Wololo hitmaker as a cash cow.

"Mandla is also using my daughter. I told him, 'don't use my daughter for your own gains'. With all of these gigs including Black Panther [soundtrack], all that income, Mandla consumes all that money. It is more than a few million [rand]," he said.

Gender activist and founder of SA Men's Forum, Mbuyiselo Botha, has praised Babes for being brave and exposing her abuse.

Cistahood Foundation president Nozi Nguse also condemned the abuse.

"We call on promoters to distance themselves from Mampintsha. He must not be booked for any show in clubs, festivals ... no radio and TV interviews," Nguse said.

- Additional reporting by Karabo Ledwaba and Patience Bambalele