Anti-gender-based violence (GBV) activists Women For Change have threatened to sue a South African Chris Brown superfan, who accused them of scamming the public.
The organisation has faced a barrage of online harassment from the public after it started a petition to cancel the US singer’s upcoming South African concerts. The petition – which has over 40 000 signatures – is addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber.
Chris – who has a long history of domestic violence – is set to perform on 14 and 15 December, just days after SA wraps up its annual 16 Days of Activism GBV campaign.
WOMEN FOR CHANGE THREATEN LEGAL ACTION AGAINST CHRIS BROWN SUPERFAN
In a statement posted on Saturday, 19 October, Women For Change threatened legal action against a Chris Brown “superfan” accused of spreading false information.
The male fan accused the NGO of “syphoning” money through donations under the guise of an NGO. According to the organisation, they would also pursue the legal route of violent threats and online harassment by others.
Addressing the man who accused them of being a scam, they said: “These false statements, by operation of law, constitute defamation and slander.
“[They are] reckless, malicious, and highly defamatory, causing severe harm to the reputation of both our organisation and the individuals involved.”
The statement went on to claim that the NGO was formed in 2016 and registered as a non-profit organisation with the Department of Social Development in 2018. The organisation stressed that it was not a company and, therefore, not registered with CIPC [Companies And Intellectual Property Commission].
“We refuse to be silenced,” Women For Change captioned their statement.
Over the years, the NGO has offered free resources to victims of GBV. They include counselling, legal advice, safe houses, and support.
They have helped high-profile cases like Amanda du Pont, Monique Muller, Sithelo Shozi, Lady Zamar, and Moneoa, who all accused their former partners of domestic abuse
Their IG page is filled with tributes to women who have died at the hands of abusive partners.
Images via Instagram:
@womenforchangesa/ @chrisbrown
NO WORD FROM AUTHORITIES
Meanwhile, Women For Change’s petition addressed to Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber continues to gain momentum.
The petition – with over 40 000 signatures – is calling for Chris Brown’s visa to be revoked. The singer has previously been banned from entering the UK, Australia and New Zealand over concerns of his history of violence.
The South African has repeatedly contacted promoter Big Concerts and the Department of Home Affairs for comment. None has been received.
Meanwhile, Patricia de Lille’s political party – the GOOD Party – has backed Women For Change’s petition.
In a press release, the party claimed that it was “concerned about the message Chris Brown’s concert is sending to the men and women of our country.”
It read: “We all need to walk our talk. Given the South African GBVF pandemic, we cannot separate the art from the artist”.
The party went on to refer to the recent crime stats [between April and June 2024], which reveal that 966 women were murdered and over 13 000 GBV cases were reported.
“This country cannot afford to normalize or platform a known abuser. We have a responsibility to prove we are taking gender-based violence seriously”.
HAVE YOU SIGNED WOMEN FOR CHANGE’S PETITION TO BAN CHRIS BROWN?
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