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Malaika's Bongani Nchang gets protection order against ex-bandmate Tshedi Mholo The bitter fallout between former Malaika bandmates Bongani Nchang and Matshediso “Tshedi” Mholo has continued to play out, with their dispute over the iconic group's name, music and replacement vocalist reaching a dramatic point and a protection order hasnow been issued. A source revealed to Buzz Life News that the last incident is what motivated the protection order. "He receive it at the time she went up on stage at Marks Pub in Hebron, where Bongani was performing alongside Tsoakae." The performance was brought to an abrupt halt as Bongani and his new partner left the stage. "The confrontation exposed a feud that had been brewing for years. He needed it for the new singers safety." With both former bandmates holding different versions of what went wrong with one of South Africa's best-known Afro-pop groups. Bongani has since secured a protection order against the singer, as he is worried about his safety and that of the group follwing that interruption. Malaika originally consisted of Bongani, Tshedi and the late Jabulani Ndaba. The trio rose to prominence in the early 2000s, producing popular hits including Destiny, 2 Bob, Sebakanyana, Indoda Yempandla and Theledi. Their journey was interrupted by Ndaba's death in July 2008 following a long illness. Bongani and Tshedi continued performing as a duo for a period before their relationship deteriorated and the group went its separate ways. In 2019, the two reunited and brought Malaika back to the stage, but the reunion did not last. In November 2021, Tshedi announced her departure, saying she wanted to concentrate on her solo music career, business interests and activism. In her departure statement, she said she was leaving without animosity and gave Bongani the option of continuing with the group or finding a replacement to preserve its legacy. However, the arrangement would eventually become a major source of conflict. Bongani continued performing under the Malaika name and recruited Tsoakae Molipa as the new female vocalist. Molipa, who had previously been pursuing a gospel music career, acknowledged that replacing Tshedi came with enormous expectations. She also expressed admiration for Tshedi, saying she had previously sung along to her parts in Malaika's songs. But Tshedi was unhappy with the rebranding, particularly the use of her vocals, melodies and contributions to the group's music. In July 2024, she was concerned the new arrangement was damaging her solo career because fans were confusing her with the new vocalist. She also wanted her vocals removed from the backing tracks used during performances. Bongani, however, maintained that Tshedi had voluntarily left the group and had given him permission to find a replacement. He referred to her 2021 departure statement and said she had authorised him to continue preserving the Malaika legacy. The dispute also became public during an appearance on Podcast and Chill with MacG in August 2024, where the former colleagues confronted each other over the group's identity, publishing rights and the use of their music. Tshedi maintained that she remained connected to Malaika's legacy and questioned Bongani's continued use of the group's name. By October 2025, the disagreement had spilled onto the stage in Hebron. Tshedi maintained that she had not gone to the venue to cause trouble, saying: “I was only requesting the lady to hand me the mic because I wanted to enjoy the moment with her, and it turned out the way people are viewing it. I was not there for animosity.” Bongani offered a different account, saying he had anticipated that she might disrupt one of their performances. He also accused her of trying to stop the music and assaulting his wife. Tshedi's position has been that the group belongs to its original members and that the music and its commercial benefits should not be treated as though she never contributed to its success. "This isn't just about me; it's about the legacy of Malaika and the fans who have supported us all these years. They deserve honesty, not deception," she said at the time." buzzlifenews.com