Media personality Gareth Cliff recently invited comedian and reality TV star Mongezi “Tol Ass Mo” Mahlangu to “The Gareth Cliff Show” where the two got candid about a range of topics.
The comedian, who was accused of rape in 2019 by model Lerato Moloi and was later vindicated of the crime, said that he is still trying to remove the stigma of “cancel culture” around his name.
“In three years I spend closed to R400 000 in lawyer fees ... I got three daughters, I don’t want, God forbid, in an case or situation where if they were to go lay a complaint, it will be like ‘No, we don’t believe you’ or ‘it’s not enough’,” said Mo.
Not one to mince his words, Cliff’s controversial response to Mo’s story has social media users up in arms.
He said: “I think that if you make false allegations at someone, you should be punished to the degree that they would have been punished if they were found guilty.
“We have a big problem in this country with gender-based violence. I think every person is aware of it ... when a woman or a man makes a false allegation about rape, what that does is that it has the effect of trivialising when real GBV happens.
“It makes the stories of women and men going through actual sexual harassment seem silly ... that doesn’t help anybody, least of all the actual victims... I don’t believe the way to believe the victims sorts justice out here.”
Cliff’s comments have been shared on X and award-winning actress Nambitha Mpumlwana, who believed that Mo was guilty, wrote: “Lerato's allegations were not false. Lerato spoke the truth! Tell that to your 3 daughters!”
Lerato's allegations were not false.
— NAMBITHA (@NAMBITHA) November 8, 2023
Lerato spoke the truth!
Tell that to your 3 daughters! https://t.co/PFf8d2irSL
The former “Generations” actress was trolled for the tweet, with X users asking if she was there when the alleged rape took place.
@KingNema_Jnr wrote: “Focus on acting mama. Unless you were there when it happened.”
Focus on acting mama. Unless you were there when it happened.
— Dj Nema Jnr 🦂👑 (@KingNema_Jnr) November 9, 2023
@Luthango1 commented: “How do you know that her story is true because you not there, the man was subjected to whole trial and the judge pronounced that the complaint is liar, how will you feel if it was your son who was falsely accused of rape?”
How do you know that her story is true because you not there, the man was subjected to whole trial and the judge pronounced that the complaint is liar, how will you feel if it was your son who was falsely accused of rape?
@NdabeLit suggested that Mo should sue her.
“TollAssMo must sue you ‒ because you're doubling down that he raped her, undermining the court ruling completely.”
TollAssMo must sue you - because you're doubling down that he raped her, undermining the court ruling completely.
Watch the full YouTube interview.