JOHANNESBURG - A single false allegation of violence can change a person's life forever.
Reputations get tainted, careers destroyed, and a life turned upside down.
That was the reality of actor Sipho Ndlovu, who opened up in recent interview with the Engineer Your Life podcast with Lungelo KM.
Ndlovu detailed the impact of being falsely accused of domestic violence, by his former partner, Thandeka Mhlanga, known as Shanice.
Two years after a case was opened in 2024, Shanice took to social media and issued an apology, admitting to having falsely accused Ndlovu in what she called ‘a heat of the moment thing’ and further apologised for having caused ‘irreparable harm’ to his reputation.
But in a country where gender-based violence (GBV) continues to claim lives almost daily, experts warn the consequences stretch even further.
Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist Sifisosami Dube said while allegations must be taken seriously, false claims not only harm those wrongly accused, but also impact on genuine victims of gender-based violence seeking justice.
According to Dube, at times such stories make it even harder for victims to come out to tell their story out of fear.
“There are so many people, including women who have been violated, who are just sitting with that violence in their hearts, in their minds. And they are scared to tell the next person."
“They are scared to report to the police station. They are still scared to tell even their friends or their most trusted close relatives because they believe that no one will believe them.
She said it becomes even worse for those on the ground working to fight against GBV.
“Forcefully accusing people or men of gender-based violence really takes us back, especially in terms of the gains that we have made as the women's movement and as a whole country, in terms of putting in place policies, laws, and actions to prosecute criminals.
Ndlovu detailed in the podcast account of events, but the impact the allegation has had on his life and work.
He even revealed how he was blackballed and called names as a result of the allegations.
On the legal side, Ayanda Gwabeni of Ayanda Gwabeni and Partners said Ndlovu’s has seen a worrying trend of such cases.
He said in courts on a daily bases claims of this nature have become a norm.
Some he said are true while others are sometimes false.
According to Gwabeni, a presiding officer who comes across this matter has to be wiser to the fact that these complaints of GBV are sometimes made falsely to achieve another motive.
“Of course, it will probably impact individual decision makers, but I would not take it as far as characterising it as a precedent-making incident.”
Gwabeni said a person falsely accused can open a case.
“The primary civil remedy available to the gentleman is a delictual claim for defamation of character. Alternatively, if he wants to pursue the matter further, he can open a case at the Police Station for the offence of crimen injuria and another civil suit to pursue is loss of income