Babes Wodumo And Naledi Aphiwe Face Legal Action Over Alleged Durban Gig No Show
Babes Wodumo And Naledi Aphiwe Face Legal Battle After Alleged Durban Gig No Show Sparks Refund Dispute
Durban musicians Babes Wodumo and Naledi Aphiwe are facing legal action after allegedly failing to honour paid performance bookings, leaving a KwaZulu-Natal venue owner claiming financial losses, reputational damage and months of frustration.
The dispute centres on two scheduled appearances at Action Bar in Shakaskraal, KwaDukuza, where the artists were allegedly booked, paid in advance and expected to perform. After both events failed to materialise, the matter has now landed in the hands of lawyers, with the venue owner demanding repayment and compensation for costs incurred.
According to legal documents served on the artists, Babes Wodumo, whose real name is Bongekile Simelane, and Naledi Aphiwe Myongwane were originally booked to perform on 2 May. The documents allege that neither artist arrived for the event despite receiving advance payment.
Following the first alleged no show, the venue owner agreed to reschedule the performances instead of pursuing immediate legal action. A second event was arranged for 27 June in the hope of resolving the matter.
In the lead up to the rescheduled show, both artists reportedly recorded promotional videos and shared them on their social media platforms, assuring fans they would be attending the event.
However, the performances allegedly never took place.
The repeated cancellations triggered outrage among patrons and reportedly left the venue facing mounting financial losses. Earlier this month, Action Bar management issued a public apology on Facebook, acknowledging the artists’ absence and promising to pursue legal action over unreturned booking fees, event related expenses and the damage caused to the venue’s reputation.
To make amends with disappointed customers, management offered free entry to another event featuring Dankie Boi, Tipcee and DJ Banana.
A source familiar with the matter claimed the venue owner decided to escalate the dispute after repeated attempts to recover the money failed.
“They are facing arrest now because they refuse to return the money. Both of them are not answering their phones or replying to emails sent regarding this matter. They have received the legal papers I am showing you, but they have not responded. The owner is complaining about losing a lot of money,” the source alleged.
According to the legal documents, the artists are being asked to refund their booking fees and cover additional expenses incurred while preparing for the scheduled performances.
The documents state that Naledi Aphiwe was paid R30,000, while Babes Wodumo received a booking fee of R16,000.
Venue owner and event organiser Johnson Govender confirmed that the dispute has now been handed over to his legal representatives. He said his primary objective is to recover the outstanding funds and seek compensation for the losses he says he suffered.
“They have not responded to the papers sent to them. Naledi Aphiwe has returned R25,000, but I want the remaining balance. I also want compensation for everything I went through planning this event twice only for them not to show up. Contact my lawyers. They will assist you with this matter,” Govender said.
His comments suggest that part of Naledi Aphiwe’s booking fee has already been repaid, although he maintains there is still an outstanding balance and additional costs that remain unresolved.
Attempts to obtain comment from both artists were unsuccessful. Emails sent to them on Monday had not received a response by the time of publication.
The legal dispute also comes amid unconfirmed reports circulating over the weekend claiming Babes Wodumo had been arrested for contempt of court after allegedly failing to appear in court when required.
Those claims remain unverified.
Meanwhile, Babes Wodumo remained active on social media on Tuesday, sharing photographs with her followers. In one post, she captioned an image: “Hello my loved ones, I hope your day is as beautiful as my body.”
Whether the latest legal action results in a settlement or proceeds through the courts remains to be seen. For now, the dispute has placed two of Durban’s most recognisable performers under fresh legal scrutiny while raising questions about accountability, artist bookings and the financial risks faced by event organisers when scheduled performances fail to happen.
