Xolani Khumalo
Xolani Khumalo | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | 1990 Johannesburg |
| Nationality | South African |
| Occupation | Television presenter |
Xolani Khumalo (born 1990 in Tembisa) is a South African television presenter who worked for the drug-busting show Sizok'thola on DStv's Moja Love from its start in January 2023 until he was dismissed from the popular reality show in November 2023 following his arrest for the murder of an alleged drug-dealer named Robert “Kicks” Varrie.[1]
Background
Xolani Khumalo fast became popular in South Africa in 2023 because of Sizokuthola's confronting and exposes of drug dealers in the townships[2]
He was born in the Johannesburg township of Tembisa in 1990. He started his career as a bouncer in Tembisa[3]
Sizok'thola sees Khumalo going head to head with drug-dealers, going into their homes or places of operations to confront them and get the drugs. Khumalo reportedly received death threats on his cellphone from unknown people for arresting the drug-dealers on-camera and had to beef up security in May 2023[4].
On 19 July 2023, the police in Katlehong opened an investigation after an alleged drug-dealer named Robert “Kicks” Varrie died while being interrogated by the heavily armed Sizokuthola TV crew. In September 2023, Khumalo was arrested and charged with Varrie's murder. He was released on a R10 000 bail by the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court. Commenting on death, television channel Moja Love claimed Varrie died after he refused to cooperate with the lawful instructions of the recognised members of the community policing forum that was accompanying the TV crew to Varrie's house in Katlehong[5]
In November 2023, Moja Love announced it had cut ties with Khumalo for "unlawful incidents", amongst them the murder case and alleged financial interests in his Xolani Khumalo Foundation that raise questions of possible conflict of interest[6]. The show was then put on a production break[7]
The sacking of Khumalo caused a public outcry, with protests staged outside Moja Love offices in Rosebank for his reinstatement to continue his #FreeSouthAfrica-of-drugs work[8][9]
References
- ↑ Moja Love cuts ties with Xolani Khumalo, The Citizen, 3 November 2023
- ↑ Sizokuthola gets credit for exposing crime, IOL, 4 May 2023
- ↑ 'Fear keeps me going', says Moja Love crime buster, City Press, 4 June 2023
- ↑ Drug-buster presenter's life under threat, The Citizen, 23 May 2023
- ↑ Suspected drug-dealer's family accuse cops of protecting Xolani Khumalo, City Press, 21 September 2023
- ↑ Why Moja Love fired Xolani Khumalo, Zimoja, 4 November 2023
- ↑ Moja Love puts Sizokuthola on hold after showing Xolani Khumalo the door, Tshisalive, 6 November 2023
- ↑ South Africans demand return of Xolani Khumalo
- ↑ Mzansi weighs in on Xolani Khumalo being axed from Moja Love's crime-fighting show, IOL, 7 November 2023
External links
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