Former Malaika Member Tshedi Mholo Disrupts Performance at Marks Pub

On Sunday, 4 October, a performance by Bongani Nchang and his new vocalist Tsoakae Molipa at Marks Pub in Hebron was interrupted when former Malaika member Tshedi Mholo joined the stage, forcing the show to halt.

Malaika, once a celebrated trio, has not performed in its original form since the passing of Jabulani Ndaba in 2008 and Tshedi’s departure in 2021. Despite the changes, Bongani has continued to perform under the group’s name with a new singer. The latest conflict arose from Tshedi’s objections to Bongani allegedly using her name to book shows and performing classic Malaika hits with a replacement member. Bongani maintains he has been transparent about the group’s new lineup.

Videos circulating on social media show Bongani performing with the new member when Tshedi unexpectedly joined the stage and began dancing. The situation escalated when she appeared to ask the new vocalist to hand her the microphone.

Daily Sun reached out to Tshedi, who said she attended the venue to enjoy herself with friends. She explained that she was seated in the VIP area and joined the stage to participate in the moment, stating, “I was only requesting the lady to hand me the mic because I wanted to enjoy the moment with her, and it turned out the way people are viewing it. I was not there for animosity.”

Tshedi emphasized that Malaika originally consisted of herself, Jabulani, and Bongani, and said the songs and business rights belong to the trio. She claimed that she continues to earn royalties and is entitled to her share from any performances under the Malaika name, which she says the new singer has not received. She urged the public to view the situation fairly, noting, “Malaika is a trio which turned out to be a duo. So, if you say you are Malaika and you represent yourself as Malaika, it’s a bit unfair for those who came and paid to see both of us.”

Bongani responded, claiming that Tshedi had planned such incidents for years. He said, “Last year December, she said that she’d come to one of our shows to cause drama. When we got to the venue, we were alerted that she was present. She came on stage when we were performing our last song, and she wanted us to hand her the mic.”

Bongani added that he refused to give her the mic and described further disruptions. “She went to the DJ, wanting to stop the music. She then went to my wife, who was standing next to the stage and assaulted her, also calling her names.”

He expressed disappointment over the situation, highlighting that Tshedi voluntarily left the group. “I pity her more than anything because this is the person who quit the group. She said that I can replace her and that she wants nothing to do with the group. She wasn’t fired; she wasn’t ill-treated. We were even doing gigs together, and out of the blue, she decided to quit.”

Bongani also noted that Tshedi has performed solo without issue in the past and said he has never spoken ill of her. The incident raises questions about rights to the Malaika brand and the ongoing tensions between former and current members as the group continues to perform.