Well-known musical poet Mulweli Sithubi, better known as C2B De Poet, denied the allegations that he could not perform at the late Lindelani Nengovhela's memorial service because he was drunk.
Sithubi said that he had prepared a beautiful send-off poem in honour of Nengovhela, the deceased partner of comedian Livhuwani Madadzhe. However, when Sithubi's turn came, the programme director, Rapson Rambuwani, announced that Sithubi would not be given an opportunity to perform because he was drunk.
"We were supposed to get a poet to render an item, but we will not allow him to perform because he is drunk. We are here to mourn, and we will not allow people to spoil this dignified send-off by doing anything unacceptable," declared Rambuwani before the whole gathering last Friday.
Sithubi told Limpopo Mirror that he was unhappy that he could not pay tribute to the late Nengovhela because he was "side-lined" by the programme director. He admitted that he had taken "a few sips" but denied being drunk. "I was prepared to perform, but I was disappointed when the programme director announced in public that he was not going to call [on] me to perform because I was drunk. After the announcement, all the cameras were zoomed in on me as the event was broadcast live to thousands of viewers on various social-media platforms, thereby causing potential damage to my growing brand," the musician said.
He added that, soon after the remarks by the programme director, he had received numerous calls from fans and members of the public who were rebuking him and wanting to know why he had gone to the memorial service under the influence of alcohol. "It was very hurt because I prepared a very good tribute poem that I could not perform. I had informed my fans on social-media platforms that I would be performing, but the whole incident turned out to be an embarrassment and a turnoff. I believe the programme director has a personal vendetta against me because he could not even prove beyond reasonable doubt that I was intoxicated. How could he say that without conducting a blood test to confirm that I was indeed drunk?"
The chairperson of the Vhembe District Music Forum, Dr Roxley Fhatuwani Masevhe, was shocked when hearing about the incident. He said artists should conduct themselves well because they acted as role models to society. "If it is true that Sithubi went to the memorial service to perform while under the influence of alcohol, his behaviour is a shame to our music industry. We strongly condemn any type of behaviour that downgrades the image of the arts industry in Vhembe. Remember, we are creative artists, not creative drunkards. As leaders of this industry in Vhembe, we will summon him and vehemently rebuke him to make sure this does not happen again, especially during an occasion where people were in mourning for a loved one," he said.