Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - Kelly Khumalo’s lawyers have sent Sam Meyiwa a blistering letter, ordering him to stop defaming and humiliating her, and damaging her reputation.
The “cease and desist” letter, written by law firm boss Ruth Makhambeni, was delivered to Meyiwa’s home in Umlazi, Durban, by the sheriff of the court on Friday evening.
In the letter, which City Press has seen, Khumalo’s lawyers threaten that if the father of her slain boyfriend doesn’t stop, she will sue him “for the damages suffered”.
Khumalo wasn’t available for comment, but her publicity manager, Linda Moeketsi, confirmed the lawyer’s letter was sent to Meyiwa on Friday.
“Kelly has had enough of the malicious rumours being spread about her. She is tired of being abused by Sam Meyiwa,” Moeketsi said.
Sources close to Khumalo say she has had enough of Meyiwa – father of her late boyfriend, Senzo, who was killed in an apparent armed robbery at her mother’s home in Spruitview – and she has now decided to take the legal route.
The last straw
Khumalo’s confidantes say the last straw was when Meyiwa slammed her latest song, titled Senzo, which she wrote in tribute to the father of her youngest child.
Meyiwa told Daily Sun that she recorded the song just to irritate his family.
“Where did this girl come from? What does she want from us? How much more pain does she want me and my family to suffer?” he reportedly said.
A close friend of Khumalo told City Press that Khumalo has been quiet for too long, and that “uBab’Meyiwa has now gone too far”.
“She’s a single mother, who needs to work for her children, and for Meyiwa continuing to speak ill of her, damages her reputation and it is also affecting her earnings as a musician.”
Meyiwa confirmed receipt of Khumalo’s letter, saying: “Kelly has the audacity to serve me with a letter ordering me to stop mentioning her name in my interviews, when I’m the one who lost a son.
“So even though my son was with Kelly when he died and was shot at her home, I must stop mentioning her name?”
Meyiwa said he and his family were “still shocked” and vowed not to stop mentioning Khumalo’s name.
“Whether I get arrested or killed, I would never stop mentioning people who were present when my son was killed.
"I’m still coming to terms with who killed my son and what Kelly is doing to me is unfair and unacceptable. In all of this, she is now playing a victim,” he said and sobbed, adding that he would also consult his lawyers.
The contents of the lawyers letter
The lawyer’s letter states that Meyiwa has made “atrocious” remarks about Khumalo published in “numerous publications”.
The letter cites five of these, including an October report in Sunday World, in which he reportedly said, “I don’t know how this girl was raised. She doesn’t have morals” and “First, we still don’t know how my son was killed. But I am sure she was involved”.
Another was a Move! magazine report, in which he said, “She must stop talking about this child issue and tell the truth about who killed Senzo” and “She just got pregnant to trap Senzo”.
“Some of the said comments are wrongful and defamatory ... and are widely and publicly understood to mean that [Kelly] is dishonest, has knowledge of, [has] participated in or associated herself with the activities of the murderers,” the lawyer’s letter said.
The lawyers made it clear that they’ve only cited some of the allegedly defamatory things Meyiwa has said about the woman who almost became his daughter-in-law.
In the letter, Khumalo’s lawyers also say Meyiwa has “wrongfully and intentionally impaired and caused malicious damage to our client’s person, dignity and reputation” and that he’d better stop because he’d be sued.
“The conduct is sanctionable and you may be found liable for damages to our client,” the lawyer’s letter states.
Talk to us
Should Sam Meyiwa stop mentioning Khumalo’s name in interviews?
SMS us on 35697 using the keyword KELLY and tell us what you think. Please include your name and province. SMSes cost R1.50
