BBC Pidgin of Monday, 14 October 2024

Source: BBC

Chris Brown concert torchlight violence against women for South Africa

Chris Brown concert wey dey come up for South Africa don renew focus on di kontri Chris Brown concert wey dey come up for South Africa don renew focus on di kontri

Chris Brown concert wey dey come up for South Africa don renew focus on di kontri horrible levels of violence against women, as campaigners say e dey send di wrong message as e don get history of abuse.

Di Grammy winner bin sell out di tickets for di FNB Stadium for Johannesburg wey be di biggest stadium for Africa in less than two hours. Demand high sotay dem don add anoda December date for im concert tour.

Even though di interest high, di RnB star dey experience backlash from pipo wey no want make e perform, sake of im violent past.

Sabina Walter wey be di executive director of Women for Change, wey be organisation wey dey ginger for di rights of women and children for South Africa tok say, "Wen I see di tori say Chris Brown dey come South Africa, I shock and I bin dey very disappointed."


Di group don start one petition to stop di US star not to perform for di kontri. So far, dem don get ova 20,000 signature.

Ms Walter say, "di petition bin start to send strong message to show say we no go tolerate di celebration of pipo wey get history of violence against women".

South Africa get one of di highest rate of femicide and gender based violence for world.

Every 12 minutes, one rape dey reported for di kontri and tori be say many more dey wey no dey recorded.

Ms Walters tok say, "wen pesin like Chris Brown get platform for kontri wey GBV dey at crisis level, di kain message wey dey send dey damaging. E mean say fame and power dey more important dan accountability."

Di most popular tori about Chris Brown history of abuse na di kasala wey burst wit Rihanna for 2009.

Chris Brown bin dey 19 years old dat time and plead guilty to assault. Dem sentence am to five years probation, community service and domestic violence counselling.

Even though Rihanna bin forgive am and even date am small again afta di mata, oda men and women don accuse Chris Brown of violence.

Women for Change say dem wan know how di Department of Home Affairs go even give "convicted abuser" visa.

According to South African law, former conviction fit make di kontri deny visa. But exception dey for "good cause" and na di Director General of di Department of Home Affairs dey clear dat one.

Chris Brown don previously chop ban from entering oda kontris like di United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. But recently e don perform for di UK and oda parts of Europe.

But all dis kasala no dey shake im South African fans.

Di former vice-chancellor for di University of Cape Town, Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng write for X say she go go Chris Brown Concert.

“I totally dey against GBV and I condemn am. I believe say those wey dey commit GBV suppose face di full might of the law without exceptions or leniency.

"But make I dey clear, just incase di message no siddon well for pipo mind: I go attend Brown concert if e come.

"To suggest say to enjoy concert, mean say you gree wit wetin di artist don do bifor dey at best simplistic and at worst, intellectual dishonest." She tok.

Prof Phakeng explain say "music dey bigger dan di individual".

She add say cancelling Chris Brown concert no go end GBV for South Africa.

"Attending di concert no go magically erase our moral stance on GBV."

Even though, dis no be Chris brown first concert for South Africa, e still dey totori im fans.

One pesin tok for social media say e go collect loan to fit go for im meet and greet.

“Chris Brown you no know us yet… but my wife and I wgo be those two microscopic fans for di stand wey go dey sing and dance to every jam!!!!” anoda pesin tok.

Ms Waters say she don receive threats sake of her campaign against di US star.

“Supporters of Chris Brown ready to defend am at any cost,” she tok.

She say e dey too common di way pipo dey ready to "excuse abusive" behaviour wen e come to di celebs wey dem like.

President Cyril Ramaphosa don accept say true-true South Africa get ogbonge problem wit gender-based violence. Infact, for August e call on kontri men make dem stand against am.

E say, "our goal las-las na to end gender-based violence pata-pata".

But since di five years wey im call for action to tackel di kontri "rape crisis", e neva really change like dat.

Dis year, Women for Change don honour ova 200 women wey dem don lost dia lives to femicide.

"Dis fight no be just about di concert, na changing di narrative for South Africa. Wia dem go hold abusers responsigble and wia dem no go forget, excuse or even overlook violence against women."