***WARNING: STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC VIDEO***
Johannesburg - Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has condemned the alleged abuse of artist self-proclaimed Gqom queen Babes Wodumo by her partner, former Big Nuz member Mampintsha.
Early Monday morning, the Gqom artist posted a live Instagram video showing the alleged abuse following what appears to be an argument between the two.
In the video, Mampintsha and Wodumo can be seen arguing before the Big Nuz star strikes Wodumo, real name Bongekile Simelane, repeatedly.
Wodumo can then be heard repeatedly asking why he's hitting her.
It remains unclear what led to the altercation between the two but the video has since sparked massive backlash, with users calling for the Big Nuz star to be arrested.
Video: Twitter.
Among those reacting to the incident was Mthethwa, who condemned Mampintsha's actions and urged Wodumo to lay charges against her partner.
1. We're absolutley horrified by the actions of Musician Mapmpintsha @MampintshaNuz caught on video where he brutally abuses Internationally celebrated Artist @BABESWODUMO. We do not only condemn this senseless act but call on @BABESWODUMO to immediately press charges against him pic.twitter.com/K7W1cyO0aO
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) March 4, 2019
He also said government did not tolerate such acts and called on South Africans to "isolate the perpetrators and "to fight and defeat gender-based violence with the same zeal as when we fought racism".
2. @GovernmentZA will never tolerate gender-based violence. It is informed by a twisted logic of patriarchal power relations in society. We call on all South Africans to isolate the perpetrators & to fight & defeat gender-based violence with the same zeal as when we fought racism pic.twitter.com/EXIE61sajg
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) March 4, 2019
This is not the first time Mampintsha has been accused of abusing Wodumo.
Last year, it was revealed during an interview on Metro FM that Wodumo had split with Mampintsha following allegations he had repeatedly abused her.
Wodumo did not confirm or deny the claims and days later, the Big Nuz star responded to the allegations by saying he may have "overreacted in a couple of incidents" while neither refuting or admitting to the abuse.