Lindelani Mkhize apologises for public fallout over Joyous Celebration dispute

Amid a public legal dispute, Joyous Celebration co-founder Lindelani Mkhize has apologised to the country and supporters of the gospel group, acknowledging that their internal challenges should never have unfolded in the public eye.

Speaking exclusively to Sowetan, Mkhize said he would like to apologise to the country and to Joyous friends, adding that they should not be dealing with their issues in the media. He said this is not how they should be handling problems.

He acknowledged that challenges and difficulties in business happen, but said they really should not have taken the matter public. He added that the Joyous brand is bigger than the disputes and bigger than all of them, including any disagreements between directors.

Mkhize has recently exchanged serious financial misconduct allegations with long-time partners Jabu Hlongwane and Mthunzi Namba. The drama began with a formal complaint from Hlongwane and Namba accusing Mkhize of financial mismanagement and failure to disclose company money, which they said led to a R1 million tax demand from the South African Revenue Service in 2024. They also alleged Mkhize spent more than R1 million on personal travel. Mkhize has denied the allegations and accused Hlongwane of blocking access to financial records and acting unilaterally. The matter is now before court.

Despite the legal battle, Mkhize said the much-anticipated 30/30 anniversary tour will proceed without disruptions. The tour will run in Johannesburg from April 30 to May 3 at the Johannesburg Theatre before expanding into a nationwide run across all nine provinces. Tickets for the Johannesburg leg are available, with further dates expected to be announced soon.

Mkhize said preparations for the milestone production have been under way for months, with rehearsals continuing despite the tensions. He said the show will feature the current cast, along with alumni and friends of Joyous Celebration.

He said the team is focused, resilient and coping well, and that whatever is happening is not bigger than the brand. He framed the dispute as a natural part of any long-standing partnership, saying people at some point start seeing things differently and that there is nothing wrong with that. He added that people need to be mature and find ways of dealing with differences.

Mkhize said he hopes the legal outcome will protect what Joyous Celebration represents and that the brand should not be affected. He said the group no longer belongs only to its founders but to the country and the fans, and that he hopes the fans will win at the end of the day.