In light of the backlash, Makhadzi acknowledged that her message may not have been clearly communicated. She noted that language barriers can complicate her ability to express her opinions accurately.
“My lovely South African, I would like to clarify that I am not a politician and I might not have stated my mind in a good manner because English is sometimes a problem to me. But I am really sorry for those who were affected by my previous post,” she wrote.
The singer from Limpopo expressed her concerns related to videos circulating that show individuals speaking Tshivenda being questioned about their nationality or needing to prove their citizenship.
As per Makhadzi, a specific video of a Venda-speaking man being asked for identification particularly distressed her and served as a catalyst for her comments.
“I made my previous post because I was worried about most of the videos we see online, that when you are speaking Venda mostly they get to doubt that you are a South African citizen,” she explained.
She expressed concern over how some individuals seem unfamiliar with the Venda and Tsonga languages, which may lead to incorrect assumptions that their speakers are not from South Africa.
“You can imagine in your country someone asks you for an ID because you look a certain way and your language is not familiar to others that they know,” she said.
Makhadzi also mentioned her anxiety regarding individuals who travel or work in Gauteng, primarily using Tshivenda, and who might find it challenging to articulate themselves in English if required.
She emphasized that her remarks were never meant to create division among South Africans but aimed to highlight issues related to cultural and linguistic misunderstandings experienced by certain communities.
As criticism increased online, Makhadzi decided to apologize and recognized that she could have dealt with the situation more effectively.
“I am so sorry once again to all my people who were offended. We learn every day. Next time I will keep quiet until I find a good way to approach any situation,” she wrote.
Her apology has prompted varied responses on social media, with some supporters commending her for the clarification, while others continue to discuss the underlying themes she raised regarding language, identity, and belonging within South Africa.
My lovely South African, I would like to clarify that iam not a politian … and I might not stated my mind in a good manner because of English sometimes is a problem to me .
But iam really sorry for those who were affected by my previous post .I made my previous post…
— Makhadzi (@MakhadziSA) June 1, 2026
