TROUBLE keeps on following Umkhokha: The Curse actor and Sebenza Women Awards founder, Kini Shandu.
KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has instructed her office to investigate Kini and others for the use of insulting language against women.
Kini (38) landed himself in hot water after he publicly criticised women who have children out of wedlock on his Facebook post that was deleted on Sunday, 7 January.
The KwaMthaniya Women Movement wrote a letter signed by more than 4 000 women complaining about Kini to the KZN premier.
Now, two sponsors of the Sebenza Women Awards - SMG Umhlanga and Radisson Blu Durban Umhlanga - have cut their ties with the awards.
Dube-Ncube's spokesman Bongi Gwala confirmed that the premier received a letter from concerned women, activists and professional groups complaining about the use of belittling language against women.
"The premier has instructed her office to look into the correspondence and the allegations contained therein.
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"Critical to this process will be an engagement with the drafters of the correspondence and reaching out to those implicated in the correspondence in order to get a fuller picture," Gwala said.
He said that premier strongly condemns acts of violence against women and vulnerable groups, irrespective of whether these manifest themselves through physical contact or general violation of the dignity of women, as is alleged in this instance.
The corporate sales manager at SMG Umhlanga, Mongezi Tembe, told Daily Sun they are distancing themselves from Kini.
"We've been sponsoring Kini'sKini's Awards, Sebenza Women Awards, with a shuttle for the past five years. Although we were not sponsoring the awards individually, we are distancing ourselves from Kini's actions.
"We subscribe to the constitution of South Africa, and we have a duty to uplift and protect women and children," he said.
Radisson Blu marketing manager Fara Hamid told the Daily Sun that they'll no longer be working with Kini.
"I don't see us working with him after his actions," she said.
Daily Sun contacted Kini for comment, and his phone rang unanswered.
