š±āThe Slap Heard Across Mzansiā: Somizi Under Fire as Coach Nonnieās Assault Sparks OutrageāAnd His Silence Isnāt Helping
The video was less than 40 seconds longābut thatās all it took to send shockwaves through South African media.

In a grainy, fast-moving clip uploaded to X (formerly Twitter), Coach Nonnie, a well-known fitness trainer and reality TV figure, can be seen in a heated confrontation with an unnamed individual.
Screaming, shoving, thenāwithout warningāa loud, unmistakable slap.
What made the internet implode wasnāt just the violence itself…but the voice heard in the backgroundāallegedly belonging to none other than Somizi Mhlongo.
āAre you just going to let her do this?ā a voice says, followed by what many claim is Somiziās distinct tone urging someone to āhandle it.
ā The implication? That he not only witnessed the assault but may have encouraged it.
Within hours, #SomiziCancelled, #CoachNonnie, and #JusticeForNonnie began trending across South African social media platforms.
Celebrities, influencers, and former co-stars started weighing in.
And for the first time in a long time, Somizi was nowhere to be seen.
No Instagram Live.
No playful comeback tweet.
Just…silence.
And that silence was deafening.
Somizi, who has long walked the tightrope between flamboyant entertainment and fiery controversy, now faces a level of scrutiny he hasnāt seen since his messy divorce and the abuse allegations that once rocked his reputation.
But this time feels different.
This isnāt tabloid fodderāitās a potential criminal implication, and public patience is running out.
A petition demanding Somiziās removal from all TV programming reached over 50,000 signatures within 24 hours.
The organizers accuse him of ābystander violence,ā claiming that his influence in the situation directly contributed to the escalation of the incident.

āThis isnāt about Somiziās brand anymore,ā one user wrote.
āItās about accountability.
You canāt preach empowerment on Sunday and encourage abuse on Monday.
Whatās worse? Coach Nonnie has broken her silence.
In a cryptic Instagram story, she posted a single black screen with the words:
āIt was never just fitness.
It was fear.
Iāve been quiet long enough.
Shortly after, she deactivated her account, sparking concern from fans and speculation from the media.
Sources close to her claim she is āseeking legal advice and considering filing formal charges,ā not just against the individual who assaulted herābut anyone who may have enabled or supported it.
Behind the glitz and glam of Somiziās curated public life lies a pattern many are now unwilling to ignore.
Previous feuds with co-hosts, public outbursts, and an on-again-off-again relationship with social boundaries have already left scars.
But this? This could be career-ending.
Brands that once lined up to collaborate with Somizi are reevaluating partnerships.
At least one fashion label has quietly removed his image from their website.
Media insiders say his upcoming live show may face cancellation, with ticket sales already seeing a dramatic dip.
And then comes the psychological twistāthe question no one wants to ask, but everyoneās thinking:
Was this always who he was behind the cameras?
Those closest to Somizi describe him as ācomplex,ā āhigh-energy,ā and ādifficult to manage behind the scenes.
ā One anonymous crew member from Idols SA confessed, āSomizi could turn a room electricāor freeze it with fear.
Thereās a line between passion and ego.
And sometimes, he doesnāt see it.
Still, a loyal base of fans remain in his corner.
āHeās human,ā one supporter wrote.
āDonāt cancel himācorrect him.
Let him explain.
ā But with each passing day of silence, the crowd grows more skeptical.
Where once there was sparkle and sequins, thereās now tension and truth.
Legal experts say that if Somizi is found to have incited violenceāeven indirectlyāhe could face both public and private lawsuits.
Worse, if the alleged victim decides to press charges and files under South Africaās Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, he could be named as an accessory, especially if evidence shows he did nothing to intervene.
As the heat intensifies, so do the questions.
Will Somizi speak out? Will he deny, deflect, orāfinallyāadmit complicity? Or will this be the scandal that breaks through the glitter and exposes something much darker underneath?
One fan put it best in a brutally honest TikTok post that has already gone viral:
āWe made him a star.
But now heās burningāon a stage we didnāt build for him, but he danced on anyway.āItās poetic.
Itās tragic.
Itās real.
From red carpets to rage…
the rhythm has changed.
And now the world waitsāfor Somiziās next move.
If thereās one left to make.