Deadbeat fathers may not have the time nor any care for their children, but one thing they have is the audacity.
They never miss an opportunity to use their children for their personal benefits.
American rapper Doja Cat, real name Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, won her first Grammy at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3.
She and collaborator SZA won the award for Best Pop Duo Performance.
Her father couldn’t wait to post on Instagram and thank people for supporting her.
In a post that has been deleted, the Isibaya actor had said: “Just wanted to thank everyone who supported my child Zandile. God bless you all”.
His followers dragged him to the gutter for wanting to shine on his daughter’s name, whom he doesn’t have a relationship with.
Dumisani Dlamini being Doja Cat’s dad is wild, wild. I mean, has he always known!?
— Sis’ (@vuyisa_z) April 5, 2022
Just saw an instagram post of Dumisani Dlamini(Doja’s ‘dad’) thanking everyone for support his daughter 💀😂South African deadbeats are another breed
— OT ⁷ TheDivineFeminine🪐🇿🇦 (@LiveSmil3) April 5, 2022
In an interview with Leah Henry on the “Quicksilver Show” back in 2019, Doja revealed how she’s never met her dad and doesn’t have a relationship with him.
“I’ve never met him, and he’s on Instagram, and he comments on my pictures sometimes, maybe not anymore, but he did a few times like months ago. He’s an incredible dancer and a great actor but yeah, I don’t know him very well,” Doja said.
Asked if they tried to connect, Doja said when she was 13, she wanted to see him. She said she was open to having a relationship with him.
“Just wanted to thank everyone who supported My child Zandile” Bathong Dumisani 🥴🥴🥴 pic.twitter.com/o4gDUGpoMZ
— Lesego Tlhabi (@LesegoTlhabi) April 5, 2022
In 2020, there was another video of Doja and Whoopi Goldberg circulating on social media, where Doja met Goldberg. She was happy to see the iconic actress and mentioned that she made her think of her dad because Goldberg got to meet her father, but she never did.
Doja Cat meeting Whoopi Goldberg is some serious Mzansi tea 😂 pic.twitter.com/CD6Ks2KAjJ
— 🌟 GYRENATION OUT NOW🌟 (@Gyre_SA) April 22, 2020
Goldberg, who worked with Dlamini on “Sarafina”, seemed startled by that and proceeded to say Dlamini, who played the role of Crocodile, is a good man.
In his defence, Dlamini had an interview on Metro FM with Mo Flava and said he’s been looking for his daughter, but her management team wouldn’t allow him to connect with her.
“What I can say, my brother, I’ve been looking for my daughter as well. And you mustn’t forget that these Americans will always want to have something that causes a stir so that she stays in the media, and then it becomes a talk all over the world.
“I’ve tried to search for my baby, and the company that runs her things in terms of entertainment has been blocking me,” Dlamini said.
During that interview, Dlamini said Doja would soon be coming to South Africa. Two years later, he still hasn’t met her. Instead, he’s using her name for social media clout.
To promote his events, he no longer puts his name on the poster(s) but rather goes as “Doja Cat’s father”.
Below are some of the reactions from Doja’s fans.
Dumisani Deadbeat Dad Dlamini really had the audacity to congratulate Doja Cat on winning her first Grammy.
— Luyanda (@lulzin_) April 5, 2022
South Africans have everything right to claim Doja Cat as (half) our own but that dead beat Dumisani Dlamini has no right to.
— Nonhle 💕🧘🏾♀️☀️🙏🏾 (@NonhleBeryl) April 5, 2022
I will not elaborate but this is just what it is.