Minnie Dlamini has made her views known regarding the uproar surrounding Podcast and Chill, linking the recent controversy to her ongoing lawsuit against the show’s hosts, while emphasizing what she perceives as a repeated failure to ensure accountability.
The media figure is suing MacG Mukwevho and Sol Phenduka for R2.5 million due to comments made during an episode from April 2025. In a segment discussing her separation from plastic surgeon Dr. Brian Monaisa, MacG asked why Dlamini “cannot keep men” and made a disparaging comment regarding her hygiene. Dlamini claims these remarks tarnished her reputation, disrupted her income, and resulted in the loss of a potential Nivea endorsement worth R897,000.
While she noted that the ongoing court case limits her ability to discuss specifics, she made her position clear.
“This is larger than me,” she told News24. “In my view, there continues to be a concerning lack of genuine accountability, seemingly only emerging when public pressure becomes impossible to ignore.”
Minnie Dlamini addresses Tsontso criticism
Her comments came amid renewed backlash against the podcast over their remarks about runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo, who was reported missing on September 9 after going for a run in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park. During a recording that took place that same day, while Moselakgomo was still unaccounted for, MacG and Phenduka made light of her situation. Their comments sparked widespread condemnation, especially given the context of South Africa’s severe gender-based violence and femicide issues. Subsequently, Phenduka offered a public apology, admitting his comments were inappropriate.
Dlamini expressed sorrow for Moselakgomo’s loved ones and acknowledged the fears many women face daily.
“My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones. It is a frightening reality to be a woman in South Africa today,” she stated.
She also questioned the tendency to trivialize harmful comments as mere entertainment.
“We cannot expect to change how women are treated in this country while their public degradation continues to be dismissed as entertainment,” Dlamini added.
MacG’s response and departure from DStv
MacG has contested aspects of Dlamini’s lawsuit, describing his initial remarks as speculative and asserting he did not intend to inflict harm. He has expressed a willingness to participate in mediation and receive gender-sensitization training.
The legal situation is occurring alongside Podcast and Chill‘s brief appearance on DStv, which began in 2025 as an attempt to integrate popular digital programming into mainstream television. The show was taken off the air in less than a month. DStv’s digital content partner, Leading Edge Growth, attributed this decision to a reshuffle of their content lineup, stating that the first season was approaching its conclusion.
At the time of Dlamini’s statement, MacG had not yet responded to inquiries regarding the controversy surrounding Tsontso.
