Mihlali Ndamase, a prominent South African influencer and YouTuber, recently became the centre of a heated social media storm after briefly posting and then deleting an Instagram story that appeared to show scars from physical abuse. The post fuelled widespread speculation that she had been assaulted by her boyfriend, Leeroy Sidambe, who had previously been accused of abusive behaviour toward his ex-wife, Mary-Jane Sidambe. Leeroy has bleksemed Mihlali 😭😭 pic.
twitter.com/aFxQ2mwu4C Despite the swift deletion of the post, the image circulated widely on social media, sparking intense debate. Leeroy Sidambe responded to the allegations on the gossip platform “Maphephandaba”, firmly denying any wrongdoing.
He stated: "Rule number 1 never hit a woman. Do you honestly believe and think I hit Mihlali? Just zoom in and check if hitting someone gets hurt like that." His denial, however, did little to quell the controversy.
The response on platforms like Twitter was mixed. Some users criticised Ndamase, accusing her of facing "karma" for allegedly playing a role in the breakdown of Sidambe's previous marriage. Others expressed concern over the apparent normalisation of gender-based violence and the celebration of such incidents by certain individuals online.
Mihlali Ndamase is a victim of GBV whether you like her or not. You can't be selective in your fight against abuse just because you don't like her! pic.twitter.
com/tpHgMpigto Adding to the complexity of the situation, is .