By 
By Siphesihle Dlamini
Eswatini-born and world-acclaimed DJ Uncle Waffles, born Lungelihle Zwane, is at the centre of a legal dispute involving an E1 million lawsuit filed by a promoter in East London, Eastern Cape.
The promoter, Mangaliso ‘Duke’ Belle of Le Duke Africa, is demanding compensation for reputational damage after the artist failed to attend a highly anticipated event last year.
However, Uncle Waffles has dismissed the claim, with her management asserting that the event’s cancellation was due to the promoter’s failure to meet contractual obligations.
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This is according to an article published by South Africa’s City Press. According to Belle, Uncle Waffles’ social media announcement informing fans that she would not be attending the event had a significant negative impact on ticket sales, affecting an estimated 5,000 potential attendees.
Belle alleges that Uncle Waffles had been contracted to headline the event, and her management had confirmed her availability ahead of time. In his statement, he claimed that his company,
Le Duke Africa, had already made payments to Uncle Waffles, including a 50% deposit a month before the event, and paid the full fee ahead of the show. However, things took a turn when Zwane pulled out.
The promoter is now suing for E1 million, alleging that the artist’s actions caused irreparable damage to his reputation, resulting in a significant loss of revenue from ticket sales.
According to Belle, the cancellation not only hurt the event financially but also impacted the trust he had built with his audience and the broader entertainment industry.
The Response from Uncle Waffles’ Management
In response to the claims, Thato “Kai” Thankana, Uncle Waffles’ creative entrepreneur and manager, vehemently rejected Belle’s allegations. Speaking to City Press, Thankana described Belle’s accusations as “unfounded” and placed the blame squarely on the promoter.
According to Thankana, the true reason for the cancellation was that Belle failed to fulfil his contractual obligations. He explained that the promoter had “ghosted” the artist and her team the day before the event, failing to provide essential travel details and other logistical information that were necessary for Uncle Waffles to attend.
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“We had no communication from Mr Belle until we heard that he was trying to fight the matter legally. The day before the event, he completely disappeared. We were left with no choice but to pull out,” Thankana explained.
He added that the lack of travel information and logistical planning on Belle’s part left Uncle Waffles and her team at a “huge disadvantage.”
“It’s frustrating because we had prepared for the show, but without the proper details and arrangements in place, there was no way we could have gone ahead. We had no choice but to cancel,” said Thankana.
