IT'S not raining but pouring for Umkhokha: The Curse actor.
Kini Shandu, the founder of the Sebenza Women Awards, is now being heavily criticised.
This comes after Kini publicly criticised women who have kids out of wedlock on his Facebook page on Sunday, 7 January.Women’s rights activist Ncumisa Ndelu, who won the award for women in finance at the Sebenza Women Awards 2023, has now returned her award to the Sebenza Women Awards organisation.
The 38-year-old actor, who plays Ndlovu on Umkhokha: The Curse, also angered women when he called them "umdlambila" (naughty women).
Ncumisa (45), who is known for standing up for women and children, said she was born out of wedlock and is raising her first child out of wedlock.
On the night she won the award, she wanted to return it because she thought it belonged to Thembisa Luthuli, who was also nominated for her experience in finance.
"The events of the last 24 hours have given me the courage to do what I wanted to do that night because I know that the women who nominated me would not want me to be called 'umdlambila', whatever that means.
ALSO READ: Umkhokha star targets unmarried mums
Ncumisa was also upset during the award ceremony in October 2023, when she was presented with the award by a man instead of a woman.
"When I expressed my wish that the award should be presented by a woman, it was the women who admonished me. I heard the murmurs in the room and saw the comments on social media. I was crushed.
"All in all, the Sebenza Women Awards are a farce, at least in my experience. The idea of the awards is great, but in its current form it’s a no for me," she said.
The project manager of the Sebenza Women Awards, Gugu Madonsela, said Kini was being treated as a first offender for bringing the name of the awards into dispute.
"We're not going to remove him or fire him from the executive, but he now has a disciplinary file against him. He will be barred from participating in the 2024 Sebenza Women Awards this year only.
"For 2024, Kini will give the chairman’s report, he will not be the face of the awards, he will not be allowed to speak or address the media when it comes to the awards," Gugu said.
