Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa has responded to the assassination allegations made over the weekend by kwaito legend Eugene Mthethwa.
In a press statement released on Monday, January 14, Minister Mthethwa announced that he is taking legal action against Eugene Mthethwa.
"Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa has instructed his attorneys to immediately initiate legal action against Mr Eugene Mthethwa for remarks made against the Minister at the memorial service of the late Mr Dan Tshanda this past Friday and repeated to a Sunday News publication that was published this Sunday.
"Mr Eugene Mthethwa's statements are defamatory in nature and are a blatant attempt to cause harm and impairment to the dignity and integrity of the person and office of Minister Mthethwa.
"The Minister views these allegations in an extremely serious light and it is apparent to this office that the motives of Mr Eugene Mthethwa are nefarious and opportunistic as the “threats” alleged by Mr Eugene.
"Mthethwa's allegations are nothing more than a figment of his imagination. However, these statements are extremely harmful and warrant Minister Mthethwa’s decision to seek relief from the courts of law," read the statement.
Speaking at the late Dan Tshanda’s memorial service in Newton on Friday, January 11, Eugene made startling allegations that the Minister was planning to kill him.
He told the crowd that a friend warned him not to set a foot at the ANC manifesto, which took place in Durban over the weekend.
Eugene alleged that in 2017, Mthethwa used public funds to fund Tony Kgoroge’s organisation Culture and Creative Industries Federation. The organisation which was set up to protect artists’ right.
“I’m supposed to be in Durban today (Friday) but I was tipped that I shouldn’t go because I might be assassinated because I exposed minister Nathi Mthethwa in front of the president. I was telling the truth, I wasn’t exposing him," said Eugene.
When contacted on Monday by IOL on Monday morning, Eugene said: "I would rather reserve my comment since me and the minister we are members of the ANC and there are internal processes and structures that I would like to follow before exploring other external processes and only if such fail to provide guidance and solution, I will only then be in a position to issue an official statement."