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Sjava has been removed from this year’s Cape Town International Jazz Festival line-up likely due to a rape case that was opened against him by his former girlfriend, house sensation Lady Zamar. 

The festival which will take place on March 27 and 28 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) is one of the most significant music events on the continent. The event that has welcomed stellar local and international acts to its stages for many years will feature performances from Nigeria’s Femi Koya, Judith Sephuma, Saudiq Khan, Samthing Soweto, and Nduduzo Makhathini among others. Lady Zamar is also billed to perform.

Organisers of the festival, likely irked by the rape and abuse case, announced the removal of Sjava on their social media pages on Monday.

“Please note, due to the seriousness of the allegations levelled against Sjava, the management of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival has withdrawn Sjava’s performance from the CTIJF 2020 lineup.”

The announcement relates to a story published by Sunday World this past Sunday in which the publication said they have seen court documents of a case filed by house music sensation Lady Zamar against her former boyfriend, alleging rape and abuse.

Lady Zamar opened the case in Pretoria in November last year after taking to social media platforms and claiming that Sjava had sexually violated her. The case was later transferred to Thohoyandou police station for investigation.

According to the police statement, seen by Sunday World, Lady Zamar alleged that Sjava raped her at the Porche Villa Hotel in Thohoyandou after their performance at the Royal Heritage festival in Venda, Limpopo, on September 9, 2017.

Limpopo police spokesman Motlafela Mojapelo said the police have completed their investigations and referred it to the National Prosecution Authority for a decision on whether to prosecute. Mojapelo said although Sjava was questioned by the police, he was not arrested due to the complexity of the case.

This allegation follows a series of tweets sent by the singer, whose real name is Yamikani Janet Banda, in which she first revealed that she and Sjava dated and detailed other accusations.

Sjava then responded on his Twitter account saying: “I am aware of the false allegations relating to abuse and assault contained in tweets by Yamikani Banda (Lady Zamar) on 29 October 2019 and the media articles based on those allegations. On the advice of my legal advisors, I am pursuing the matter through formal legal channels.”

He then added, also via Twitter: “As a final statement on this matter, I write to you as my colleagues, business partners, peers and supporters to inform you that I will not be engaging on the matter of false assault and abuse levelled against me on social media or any other platform, because I have instituted legal proceedings in the High Court of South Africa and as such the matter is now sub-judice.” – Channel24/SundayWorld/Showbiz Reporter