Gqom musician Babes Wodumo has been charged with assaulting Durban designer Philly Mhlongo of SK Dee Designs.

CONTROVERSIAL gqom musician Babes Wodumo’s trial has been set for 14, 15 and 16 January 2025.

The Wololo hitmaker, whose real name is Bongekile Simelane, has been charged with assaulting Durban designer Philly Mhlongo of SK Dee Designs.

The alleged assault occurred on 28 February at Philly’s business place.

At the time, Philly had accused Babes’ dancers of hiring her clothes and owing her, which is where the altercation began.

“Babes doesn’t owe me. Her dancers do. The dancers came to the shop on 28 February because they wanted to go to a gig. They didn’t have enough money to purchase the clothes. I insisted that they pay for the hired clothes. I wasn’t willing to give them anything without payment,” Philly said.

“The agreement was for them to bring the clothes the next day. They only returned them on 12 March, and they were in bad condition. When they arrived, they were with Babes, her bodyguard and her dad. They were drunk. Babes then assaulted me.”

Babes was supposed to appear in court on 27 June and 8 October but was a no-show.

“We were both called to appear in front of a magistrate, but Babes failed to appear on both dates and a warning was issued out to her to appear in court. She finally did,” she said.

Philly also said the lawyer wanted to apologise but it didn’t happen.

“I was told her lawyer wanted us to try and resolve the matter on the side before we went to court. When I agreed to the request, we were both due to appear in court on 14 October, the date on which she appeared. Before we were called in front of the magistrate, I was told Babes refused to apologise.

“The magistrate then scheduled the trial dates for 14, 15 and 16 January 2025. Babes is currently out on warning for refusing to appear in court on the two dates I mentioned above,” she said.

The designer said since Babes didn’t want to apologise, she was leaving it up to the law to fix it.

“I expected an apology since they requested a sit down with me, and for them to hear how I would like to resolve the matter. We never had the sit down because Babes refused to apologise, which was what my lawyer had told me.

“It’s now up to the magistrate to decide. What I was hoping for was for her to make a public apology and rectify the lies she spoke publicly which had a negative impact on my business as she defamed my character, after attacking me and making threats at my business,” Philly said.

KZN police spokesman Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the case to Daily Sun.

“Police at Durban Central are investigating a case of assault following an incident in which a 33-year-old woman was assaulted by a suspect known to her on Dr Pixley kaSeme Street on 12 March 2024. The suspect was charged and made several court appearances in the Durban Magistrates Court,” Netshiunda said.

Babes’s manager Nondumiso Simelane didn’t respond to our calls and text messages.