Arthur Mafokate sues ex-lover Cici for R1,5m over ‘almost murdered me’ claims
Kwaito veteran Arthur Mafokate has launched a fresh legal battle against his former girlfriend, singer and actress Busisiwe “Cici” Thwala, accusing her of defamation and harassment over social media posts in which she allegedly claimed he assaulted and “almost murdered” her.
The 56-year-old Kaffir hitmaker has filed papers in the Joburg High Court, demanding R1,5 million from Cici (38) for harassment, loss of income and reputational damage. The claim adds yet another entry to what has become a long-running legal saga between the one-time couple.
From assault case to acquittal
The new lawsuit has its roots in an incident that took place almost a decade ago.
About nine years ago, Cici opened a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm against Arthur at the Midrand Police Station. The complaint followed an altercation that left the award-winning songbird in need of medical treatment and led to her being admitted to a private hospital for a hip operation.
The matter went through a much-publicised trial, putting the couple’s private turmoil under intense media and public scrutiny. In 2019, the Midrand Magistrates Court acquitted Arthur, clearing him of the assault charge.
‘Falsely and maliciously’ accusing him online
In his latest court papers, Arthur says that despite his acquittal, Cici reignited the allegations in September 2025 through a series of posts on her social media platforms.
He claims that she went onto Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, where she “falsely and maliciously” alleged that he had assaulted her and had “almost murdered” her. According to Arthur, she did not stop at words.
The papers state that Cici also displayed X-ray images of screws that were used to hold her pelvic bones in place after the alleged assault, presenting them as proof of what she says she suffered at his hands.
Arthur argues that, when viewed together, the posts and the X-ray images painted him in a deeply damaging light.
He says the public and Cici’s followers understood her posts to mean that he is violent or abusive and is someone who physically harms others, even though the criminal court had dismissed the assault case against him.
He insists that his acquittal is crucial to this new case.
“The said criminal case was subsequently dismissed, and the plaintiff was cleared of all charges, confirming that the allegations by the defendant were false, malicious, and baseless,” he said.
Demand to delete, apologise – and alleged refusal
Arthur says that once he became aware of Cici’s social media statements, he took formal steps to get her to stop.
Through his legal representatives, he says, he wrote to her demanding that she cease publishing any further defamatory material about him. He also instructed her to:
- Delete and remove all allegedly defamatory content already posted online;
- Issue a public written apology to him; and
- Provide a written undertaking that she would not repeat the same or similar defamatory conduct in future.
Arthur states that while Cici did remove the posts from social media, she refused to give him what he was really after – a clear public apology and a commitment not to repeat the claims.
In court papers, he says that apart from removing the statements from social media, Cici “showed him the proverbial middle finger” when he asked her to apologise.
Claims of humiliation, distress and lost business
Arthur contends that Cici’s alleged conduct has had a direct and serious impact on both his personal life and his professional standing.
He says that as a result of her social media posts, he has suffered reputational damage, with his name once again linked in public to violence and abuse. He further claims that he has endured humiliation, embarrassment and emotional distress.
Beyond the emotional impact, the kwaito star also alleges that the posts have affected his bottom line. According to the papers, he believes he has suffered a loss of business opportunities because brands, partners and industry players have been influenced by the renewed allegations of violence.
It is on this basis that he is asking the Joburg High Court to award him R1,5 million in damages.
Part of a broader legal war
This latest lawsuit does not come out of nowhere. It follows an earlier case that Arthur also brought before the Joburg High Court, in which he sought an order compelling Cici to pay him royalties for her songs.
Together, the matters paint a picture of a protracted and messy post-relationship fallout between the two entertainers, spilling across both the criminal and civil courts and now extending into the world of social media.
While the earlier criminal case ended in Arthur’s favour with his acquittal, the new civil claim will test a different question: whether Cici’s online statements, posted years after the case ended, unlawfully damaged his reputation and income.
Silence from both camps
As the fresh lawsuit becomes public, both sides are keeping their official responses tight.
When contacted for comment, Cici’s manager, Sannah Thwala, referred Daily Sun to the singer’s lawyer, Keegan Elliot. By the time of publication, Elliot had not responded to questions.
Arthur, meanwhile, declined to comment, leaving his court papers to do the talking for now.
With R1,5 million at stake and old allegations resurfacing in a new legal form, the case is set to revive public debate about the long-running dispute between one of kwaito’s most recognisable figures and the woman who once shared both his life and his stage.
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