Comedian and podcaster Sandile Makhanya, popularly known as Fly Motion, has publicly apologised to DJ Tira after receiving a letter of demand accusing him of making defamatory statements about the award-winning music producer and Afrotainment founder.
The apology comes days after DJ Tira, through Nhlapo Attorneys, threatened legal action over comments Makhanya allegedly made during an interview on the On Point With Sandy Nene podcast, broadcast by Nawe Upopile Studios.
In a public statement, Makhanya acknowledged DJ Tira’s legal complaint and apologised for the remarks made during the interview.
“Ngiyaxolisa (I apologise),” Makhanya said, adding that it was never his intention to defame or tarnish DJ Tira’s name or reputation. He also confirmed that he would comply with the demands contained in the legal letter, including retracting the statements that had become the subject of the dispute.
The apology follows a letter of demand issued by Nhlapo Attorneys on behalf of DJ Tira, whose real name is Mthokozisi Khathi. The legal team argued that comments made during the podcast falsely linked the music executive to abusive and criminal conduct and had the potential to seriously damage both his personal reputation and business interests.
According to the letter, Makhanya allegedly suggested that people remain silent because they want “to protect themselves from being looked bad by these abusers.”
The attorneys also objected to comments in which Makhanya allegedly referred to people protecting “bad people” while mentioning paedophilia and those who abuse women, arguing that listeners would naturally associate those remarks with DJ Tira and his record label, Afrotainment.
The legal team further took issue with Makhanya’s claim that he “knows” DJ Tira does not like him, saying there was no factual basis for such a statement and that it reinforced the impression that the preceding allegations were directed at their client.
Another point raised in the letter concerned Makhanya’s statement that Afrotainment was “no more.” According to the attorneys, there has been no public announcement or factual basis to suggest the company has ceased operating.
“The cumulative effect of these statements is plainly defamatory. They portray our Client as an abuser, a person associated with criminal and immoral conduct, and the owner of a defunct business. These allegations are false and have no factual foundation,” the attorneys wrote.
The lawyers argued that the comments were capable of lowering DJ Tira’s standing in the eyes of the public and harming his relationships with artists, sponsors, business partners and commercial clients.
“Our Client derives his livelihood from his standing in the entertainment industry, including his relationships with artists, business partners, sponsors, and the public. The publication of these statements has the potential to cause him substantial financial loss, including the loss of current and prospective artists, commercial opportunities, and contractual relationships,” the letter stated.
Among its demands, the legal team instructed Makhanya to immediately cease publishing or repeating the statements, remove existing content where reasonably possible, publish a full retraction and provide a written undertaking confirming compliance.
With Makhanya now issuing a public apology and retracting the disputed remarks, the dispute appears to have de-escalated, although neither DJ Tira nor his legal representatives have publicly indicated whether the matter has been fully resolved following the apology.
