Following the last number of his performance, South African singer Lloyiso Gijana, made known his dissatisfaction with the running of the event. His list of complaints included disgruntlement over his performance starting two hours late, as well as not having access to a private dressing room.

Lloyiso’s rant escalated to the point where he flung crude language into the crowd, before he stormed off stage during Lemo Fest’s Lovers and Friends Concert.

However, after the set of fellow artist Nathi Mankayi, Lloyiso returned to the stage. This time joined by Freddie Kenney, Executive Chairperson of the Kenworth Group and event organiser. Before handing the microphone to Lloyiso, Kenney apologised to the audience on behalf of the organisers. 

Lloyiso then offered a heartfelt apology for his earlier outburst and also expressed gratitude for being part of Lemo Fest.

In a touching moment which followed the apologies, Lloyiso, joined by Nathi, performed “Asilwi nabantu, silwa nemimoya” (“We are not fighting people, we are fighting spirits”). This heart-warming performance diffused tension, leading to the well-attended event ending on a high note.

Lemo Fest organisers emphasised their commitment to promoting unity and respect through music and culture. In a statement, they reaffirmed their dedication to creating a platform where artists, audiences, and local businesses can come together in the spirit of community upliftment.

“Our festival is built on the values of unity, respect, and empowerment. We will continue to strive towards creating a platform where artists, audiences, and local businesses can thrive together. Lemo Fest remains a positive force for economic development, cultural expression, and social cohesion in our community, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to future events,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, a similar misunderstanding occurred at another event, Cufa Fest, where big South African artists, Makhadzi and Oscar Mbo had a fallout. Makhadzi claimed that Oscar Mbo had removed his memory stick from the decks during her performance.

However, Oscar Mbo clarified in a video call between the two that he had not been on stage at the time and had been waiting in his car for his turn to perform. The two artists later apologised to each other for the misunderstanding.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh/cg