South Africa: DJ Maphorisa Arrested and Jailed Over Alleged Assault on Girlfriend Thuli Phongolo

On Sunday, a shocking incident took place involving award-winning music producer DJ Maphorisa, who allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, actress Thuli Phongolo, during a heated confrontation. Thuli Phongolo, a 29-year-old former TV presenter and star of Generations: The Legacy, found herself in a distressing situation when DJ Maphorisa, whose real name is Sonnyboy Sekowe, reportedly grabbed her by the neck and forcefully dragged her to the balcony of her flat.

Following the altercation, DJ Maphorisa spent the night at the Sandton police station and is scheduled to make an appearance at the Randburg magistrate’s court on Monday. He faces a charge of gender-based violence (GBV) for the alleged assault on his girlfriend.

Thuli Phongolo informed the police that the incident occurred after she confronted DJ Maphorisa about an argument that transpired at his gig on Saturday night. In her statement, she explained, “I confronted him so that we can talk about our argument, which happened the previous night during his gig.” Unfortunately, the situation escalated when the renowned music producer allegedly responded with aggression, slapping Phongolo across the face before dragging her to the balcony.

The actress’s management team confirmed that she was accompanied by her road manager when she went to the police station to file a case of assault. Phongolo’s manager stated, “We are still trying to gather how she is doing. I am seeing her in the next hour … We just need to actually figure out what is happening … She was with her road manager.”

DJ Maphorisa, who is also known as Phori, was reportedly arrested during the day after the Sandton police arrived at his residence. A source close to the case mentioned that the music producer attempted to secure bail on the spot, but his request was denied. The source added, “He is facing a serious charge of assault GBV, and he can only get bail in court for that, so he has to stay behind bars overnight before he can get bail.”

Phongolo and DJ Maphorisa have been romantically involved on and off for nearly two years. At the time of publishing, Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo could not confirm whether a case of assault had been officially opened.