Just days before Burna Boy was set to perform in South Africa, organizers have announced that he has been withdrawn and the concerts in Cape Town and Tshwane cancelled.
In a media statement issued today, organisers said that after extensive engagement with Burna Boy’s management team, they had decided to withdraw the Nigerian artist from the concert and cancel the shows.
They said the decision to cancel the shows came after warnings of a shutdown from a group of artists and event organisers under the umbrella of Tshwane Entertainment Collective.
“The decision to cancel the Africans Unite Concert comes after the call from the Tshwane Entertainment Collective to boycott the Africans Unite concert in Tshwane.
With the increasing threats of violence from other unfortunate segments of the public and without any government intervention, Phambili Media and Play Network Africa were prompted to take the threats and warnings seriously, as the safety of all artists and attendees could not be guaranteed.
We then decided to cancel the concert. The safety of all attendees, artists and crew comes first.”
Burna Boy’s inclusion on the line-up was widely criticised after rapper, AKA took to social media to lead a campaign against him.
See AKA’s response and how other South Africans are reacting below;
Hayi no. South Ahhh doesn’t play.
— AKA (@akaworldwide) November 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/waronarase/status/1197065609730777089
— AKA (@akaworldwide) November 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/Sir_Morgie/status/1197123318542983168
Our Job as South Africans is done. We Shall now resume to wetting beds while you resume to losing elections!!!#AKAsezi https://t.co/4bRCf7u8uc pic.twitter.com/4RNBcxYlKN
— Ricardo Mendes (@ricardomendesza) November 20, 2019
South Africans and creating hashtags #AKAsezi pic.twitter.com/5gMwKfN2OT
— Justice for Senzo and Kirnen ✊️ (@Vee_Mashinini) November 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/Zamaswati18/status/1197115827591565312
Message to Burna Boy…get out, get out, getta of here…asshole #AKAsezi pic.twitter.com/cF6mbWwOUD
— Black Jesus (@BlackJesusOfSA) November 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/Zweli87514961/status/1197119835370655750
https://twitter.com/uNtandoSangweni/status/1197125681399775232
Burna was told to just apologize, as they say, pride comes before fall…#AKAsezi pic.twitter.com/PDk4HMTy3z
— Phathu Kone (@dmotloung) November 20, 2019
SA are gonna miss him proudly nija for life.