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Controversial Idols’ runner-up Mthokozisi Ndaba has gone to ground after being accused of assaulting a young woman in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The alleged incident happened a week after he lost the competition and reportedly had to receive “assistance” to deal with his emotions.
Ndaba (25) from KwaMashu stunned the South African media last Sunday when he pulled a disappearing act and refused to attend the post-show press conference.
Neo Tsele (21) told City Press this weekend that she was at a friend’s apartment in Braamfontein when the incident happened.
“He pushed, punched and pressed me [against a wall in] the hall. He couldn’t stop until he saw blood coming from my nose,” she said.
“I couldn’t fight back. He is the big man and the five people I was sitting with tried to stop him but he couldn’t stop,” Tsele said.
Ndaba allegedly left her with a swollen nose and lips and and she has lost some of her teeth.
“Even after the blood was coming from my nose, he didn’t show any remorse or apologise,” she said.
Tsele, who works for a networking marketing company, told City Press that he allegedly beat her for no reason.
“I was having an argument with my friend; he intervened and beat me up. I only met the guy for the first time that day. I wasn’t even aware that he was a runner-up on Idols SA season 13,” she explained.
Ndaba did not respond to our calls and text messages.
It seems not taking the Idols title has really affected him emotionally.
Last Sunday on the Idols finale Ndaba walked off stage immediately after 17-year-old Paxton Fielies was crowned the winner of season 13, and he refused to do the post-show interview.
He has since been receiving assistance to deal with it and had reportedly gone back to his hometown near Durban.
Tsele said that Ndaba allegedly beat her even more when she tried to stop him from drinking her alcohol.
She added that she called her brother, Treasure Ntsele, who accompanied her to the police station. “But he ran away from the scene – he was nowhere to be found,” she said.
Hillbrow Police Station spokesperson, Mduduzi Zondo, confirmed that a case of assault was opened, but no arrest had been made.
Nondumiso Mabece said both Mzansi Magic and Idols SA were aware of social media posts of the alleged incident.
“We have, however, been unable to make contact with Mthokozisi Ndaba, who has travelled back to KwaZulu-Natal. Mzansi Magic and Idols SA condemn any act of abuse.”
“As is the case with all of our contestants, the channel has the best interests of them in mind, and provides any professional support required during and after the show,” Mabece said.
