I Hurt Her – Somizi apologizes to Zahara over beer-loving joke

During Zahara's memorial service at Rhema Bible Church, South African media personality Somizi Mhlongo delivered a poignant eulogy and expressed his heartfelt apologies for a joke he had made at her expense during the South African Music Awards (SAMAs).

Somizi took a moment to reflect on his first encounter with Zahara and acknowledged the joke he had previously made about her alcohol consumption during the SAMAs in 2017. At the event, while hosting, he humorously remarked, "We are almost at the end of the show, and there's an amazing after party, free bar… where is Zahara? She's probably at the bar already," which elicited laughter from the audience.

However, Somizi's joke at the SAMAs resulted in Zahara filing a lawsuit against him for defamation of character. At Zahara's memorial service, Somizi stood before the mourners and openly admitted that his joke was inappropriate and caused hurt to Zahara. He took full responsibility for being one of the individuals who contributed to Zahara's pain during her lifetime.

Somizi expressed his remorse, stating, "I have learned my lesson… I made the mistake of assuming it was just a joke. But in reality, we don't realize how much our words can hurt others, and I later came to understand the pain I caused Zahara."

Furthermore, Somizi criticized the entertainment industry for its failure to support Zahara during her times of need. He called for an apology from both the industry as a whole and from himself as a friend and colleague. Somizi expressed regret that when they had the chance to provide assistance, they instead focused on their own lives, neglecting Zahara's struggles.

"As an industry, as friends, we owe her an apology… I am one of the people who owes her an apology… When we could have offered our help, we were self-absorbed, laughing at her expense," Somizi Mhlongo passionately expressed.