Award-winning singer Makhadzi has apologised after facing criticism over comments linked to planned anti-illegal immigration protests and their perceived impact on Venda-speaking South Africans.
On Monday, 1 June, the acclaimed singer and songwriter Ndivhudzannyi Ralivhona, from Ha-Mashamba near Elim, sparked widespread debate on social media after expressing concern that some Tshivenda-speaking South Africans could be mistaken for foreign nationals.
In posts shared on X, formerly Twitter, Makhadzi said she was troubled by circulating videos showing people being asked to prove their citizenship during immigration-related confrontations. Her remarks divided opinion online. Most users supported her concerns and said they raised important questions about how identity is policed in public spaces. A few accused her of misreading the situation and of contributing to tribal divisions.
One user wrote that she should not apologise, arguing that she had raised “an important question” about how some communities are treated in South Africa. The user added that incidents of profiling should be openly challenged.
Another user strongly disagreed, accusing Makhadzi of making assumptions without verifying facts. The user said the incident she referenced involved a routine request for identification after a road accident and was misinterpreted as tribal bias.
Makhadzi later issued a public apology, saying she did not intend to offend anyone. “My lovely South Africans, I would like to clarify that I am not a politician,” she wrote. “I might not have expressed myself well because English is sometimes a problem for me. But I am really sorry for those who were affected by my previous post.”
She said her concerns were informed by videos showing Venda- and Tsonga-speaking people allegedly being asked to prove their South African citizenship. Makhadzi said she was especially concerned about people living and working in Gauteng who primarily communicate in Tshivenda.
“I was really worried about others who are working in Gauteng who do not know English, but who only know their language, Tshivenda,” she wrote.
She questioned whether people would be expected to carry identity documents at all times to avoid being wrongly identified as foreigners.
Makhadzi ended her statement by apologising again, saying she had learned from the backlash and would be more careful when addressing sensitive issues in future. The controversy comes amid ongoing national debates around immigration, xenophobia, identity and tribalism in South Africa.