South African amapiano star Tebogo G Mashego has once again been in the headlines, but this time not for his hit Biri Marung.
SAPS clear the air on Tebogo G Mashego arrest
Over the weekend, videos surfaced showing the 23-year-old artist being escorted into a police van, sparking claims on social media that he had been arrested for defamation following a string of online rants.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has since issued a statement rejecting these claims.
Police confirmed that Mashego was not arrested for defamation or slander, but was removed from a community after allegedly acting violently.
In the official statement, SAPS explained that Mashego was not arrested.
“Information received indicates that he displayed abnormal behaviour and allegedly acted violently, assaulting people without apparent cause. Laudium SAPS members were summoned to the scene and, in the interest of public safety, had to forcefully remove him from the community as he was visibly resisting,” the statement read.
The clarification came after a controversial social media account, known for spreading fake news, claimed Mashego had been detained for defamation of character.
Mashego had only recently returned to South Africa after a troubled tour in Nigeria. The artist travelled there on 4 September 2025 for a series of performances that were expected to run until December.
However, he later took to social media in tears, alleging that his team mistreated him, withheld payments, and tried to stop him from returning home.
In one viral video, Mashego said:
“I asked them to buy me a ticket so that I return home and the money for the gigs they will keep. Now they said there’s no way I can go because they signed a contract.”
His pleas prompted fellow musician DJ Karri to intervene. Karri confirmed in a Facebook post that he eventually managed to reach Mashego by phone, assuring fans:
“He’s safe and he’s coming back home soon.”
Karri later thanked colleagues who helped arrange the artist’s return flight.
While many fans initially sympathised with Mashego’s ordeal in Nigeria, the narrative shifted after the police van videos emerged.
Some social media users accused him of living a “fake life” and mistreating his family.
A neighbour alleged online that Mashego was verbally abusive to his mother and sister and that the family struggled financially despite his rising fame.
Mashego has not responded publicly to the latest claims.
For now, police stress that no criminal charges of defamation are involved in the incident, and the matter remains one of public order management.
