Mthembeni “Emtee” Ndevu has been released on R2,000 bail after spending 16 days in custody, with his father saying the ordeal has given the rapper an important lesson.
The South African hip-hop star was released on Wednesday after his estranged wife, Kendall Nicole Chinsamy, withdrew the case against him at the Midrand magistrate’s court.
The development brings an end, for now, to a difficult period for the rapper and his family, who had been dealing with the consequences of his incarceration.
Friends step in to mediate
A source close to the situation said Emtee’s release followed weeks of intervention by some of his close friends, who reportedly approached Nicole and appealed to her to withdraw the case, taking into consideration his role as a father and breadwinner, his career and his mental wellbeing.
“After mediation from close friends for weeks, Nicole finally dropped the case,” the source said.
The intervention reportedly came against a difficult financial backdrop for both sides. Nicole had allegedly gone almost three months without receiving child maintenance, while Emtee’s family was also said to be experiencing financial difficulties during his incarceration.
According to the source, tensions escalated further after an altercation involving Emtee’s current partner, Nandi Ndathane, and his parents over some of the rapper’s personal belongings and assets, including his valuables, bank cards, car, cellphone and clothes.
The dispute reportedly prompted Emtee’s close friends to step in and try to prevent the situation from causing further damage to the family and the rapper’s career.
The mediation appears to have taken place alongside the legal proceedings, with Nicole ultimately informing the court that she wanted to withdraw the matter and move on.
Why Emtee was arrested
Emtee had been detained at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre after allegedly violating a protection order obtained by Chinsamy in 2023.
The order prohibits the rapper from verbally abusing or harassing Chinsamy on social media and from publishing anything about her online, whether positive or negative.
During proceedings on Wednesday, Chinsamy told the court that she had decided to withdraw the matter because she wanted to put the dispute behind her.
“I made the decision to withdraw the case, I don’t wish to go into detail.. I’d like to close this chapter and move on with my life,” she said.
Family felt the impact of his incarceration
An affidavit read in court on Emtee’s behalf highlighted the financial strain his detention had placed on his family.
According to the affidavit, his parents, Lumikile and Phathiswa Ndevu, as well as his three minor children, had been financially affected while he was in custody. Rental and school payments had reportedly not been made during the period.
His release therefore means the family can begin addressing some of the responsibilities that had been left unattended.
Emtee’s father Lumikile Ndevu, expressed relief following his son’s release.
“I am feeling great and relieved at the same time. I’m happy because most of the things now will be done because since he was incarcerated, there was nothing. Everything was on standstill. Now we’ll start working again,” he said.
For the family, the release is not simply about Emtee returning home. It also allows him to resume his professional responsibilities and begin rebuilding some of the stability disrupted by his time behind bars.
The rapper’s legal troubles have also prompted concern among his supporters, particularly on social media.
However, his father believes the experience has been significant enough to make Emtee reconsider his actions.
Emtee’s bail comes with strict conditions. He must not breach the existing protection order and is prohibited from publishing anything about Chinsamy on social media, either directly or indirectly.
He was also ordered to remove material he had previously posted about her.
The conditions mean that while the rapper is now free, the restrictions surrounding his interactions with his estranged wife remain firmly in place.
For his family, however, Wednesday’s release offers an opportunity to move forward after more than two weeks of uncertainty.
