Internationally acclaimed composer and producer Lebo M has announced that he is suspending efforts to reconcile with comedian Learnmore Jonasi, saying a series of social media posts published ahead of their planned One54Africa Podcast interview undermined months of attempts to resolve their dispute.
In a statement released on Friday, Lebo M said the interview had been intended to mark the beginning of a constructive engagement that could ultimately lead to the withdrawal of legal proceedings currently before courts in the United States.
“The interview had been carefully conceived as the beginning of a constructive engagement between the parties, with the ultimate objective of rebuilding trust, resolving their differences and creating a pathway towards the complete withdrawal of the legal proceedings currently before the courts in the United States,” the statement read.
According to the statement, Lebo M believes Learnmore’s posts, including images of the comedian seated on a toilet while commenting on the dispute and referencing his work, changed the tone of the reconciliation process.
“Lebo M believes these posts trivialised both the reconciliation process and the cultural heritage that has inspired his work for more than four decades, reducing them to the level of a toilet conversation,” the statement said.
The statement added that what had been intended as “a genuine opportunity for healing” had instead become a broader debate about the dignity of South African culture and the responsibilities that come with public discourse.
Lebo M also argued that the matter had grown beyond a disagreement between two individuals.
“In the wake of the recent social media posts, many South Africans have expressed concern that the matter has evolved beyond a dispute between two individuals. For many observers, the imagery and language employed are perceived as diminishing the dignity of the Xhosa and Zulu cultures that have inspired Lebo M’s internationally acclaimed body of work and, by extension, the broader cultural heritage that belongs to all South Africans.”
Despite the setback, the Lion King composer said he remains committed to dialogue conducted in good faith but has instructed his legal representatives to reassess the situation before any further decisions are taken.
“Accordingly, Lebo M has instructed his legal representatives to review these latest developments before any further decisions are taken regarding the proposed reconciliation process or the future of the legal proceedings currently before the courts in the United States,” the statement said.
Explaining his decision, Lebo M said he had accepted the invitation to appear on the One54Africa Podcast because he believed it could help end the dispute.
“I accepted the invitation to the One54Africa Podcast because I genuinely believed honest conversation could become the beginning of reconciliation and ultimately create a pathway towards bringing this legal matter to a close.”
He said he had repeatedly extended “an olive branch” both publicly and privately over the past several months.
“For months, I have consistently extended an olive branch both privately and publicly because I believed reconciliation deserved every opportunity to succeed. That willingness should never be mistaken for weakness. It has always reflected my commitment to dialogue, dignity and mutual respect.”
However, he said the events leading up to the interview had fundamentally changed the environment for meaningful engagement.
“When a sincere effort towards resolution is publicly trivialised, it becomes necessary to reconsider whether meaningful engagement remains possible.”
Lebo M also stressed that his music has always been deeply rooted in South African heritage.
“My music has always been rooted in my heritage, my country and the inspiration I drew from the Xhosa and Zulu cultural traditions that shaped me, together with President Nelson Mandela’s vision of unity, reconciliation and human dignity. These are not merely artistic references – they are part of my identity and the values I have proudly carried across the world throughout my career.”
He concluded by saying respect for culture remains central to any reconciliation process.
“Respect for culture is fundamental to reconciliation. My legal team will now consider these latest developments before I determine the appropriate way forward.”
The dispute between Lebo M and Learnmore remains the subject of ongoing legal proceedings in the United States, with the future of both the reconciliation process and the litigation now under review.
