By Ngwako Malatji
Award-winning songbird Makhadzi is embroiled in a copyright infringement dispute with trailblazing lekompo artist TS MAN SA.
TS MAN SA , who has from Ga-Mothapo in Limpopo, has accused Makhadzi of infringing on his copyright on two popular songs, Operation and Cancella Lenyalo, which he produced for her.
At the centre of the altercation is that the internationally renowned songbird refused or failed to properly credit TS MAN SA on the song Operation and failed to credit him as producer of the tune Cancella Lenyalo.
Speaking to Africa Daily, TS MAN SA said he sent Makhadzi, who is one of South Africa’s most sought-after female artists, the two songs via email early this year to solicit her opinion about them.
He said Makhadzi was blown away by the quality of the beats and asked if she could add some lyrics and turn them into full-blown tunes.
TS MAN SA said he was over the moon with Makhadzi’s willingness to collaborate with him and gave her the green light to add lyrics to the ditties.
He said the songbird asked him to send his identity document and his full names so that she could add him to the SAMRO split sheet so that he could be paid his royalties.
“I sent her everything she wanted and she promised to deal with the administrative work on her side,” he said.
TS MAN SA said Makhadzi released Operation on 28 February 2026 but did not credit him as producer. He said when he protested Makhadzi promised to credit him. “However, she only wrote my name in letters that will not show that it is me who produced the song. I spell my nickname in capital letters only but she spelt it in capital and small letters. People wont know that it’s me. I brought this to her attention and she promised to fix it but she did not,” he said.
TS MAN SA also said Makhadzi dropped Cancella Lenyalo, which is currently one of her biggest songs, but to his shock and chagrin, she did not credit him. He said the popular songstress only credited Blissbouy, Westboy, Ceaser and DJ Janisto and left him out in the cold.
To add salt to the wound, TS MAN SA said he has not received a dime for his hard work.
In his WhatsApp conversation with her , he said, Makhadzi told her to sign a contract and submit it to her to put pen to paper. “I wanted 25 percent of royalties from the songs but she insisted on 15 percent which I agreed to. She initially proposed to give me R10 000 but I preferred to be paid royalties. But after I sent her a signed contract she disappeared and never said a word since then. I feel that Makhadzi is giving me a raw deal, she is a big artist, I did not expect her to behave the way she is behaving,” he said.
TS MAN SA shared a screenshot of his WhatsApp message with Makhadzi in which the chanteuse challenged him to take her to court.
“My brother take me to court so court can rule. And I give you your fair money. You started wanting your money from first month of release, where on earth someone gets money from first month of release? So for now I want you to take me to court so I can give you your money. Even if I give you, you will say I robbed you because in your mind I owe you millions. So please stop texting me and let’s take this matter to the law,” she wrote.
TS MAN SA replied:
“Ok re kego botse something sa mathomo I have rights and I have rights to fight for my things coz I have proof. Now first of all I have everything since we started to talk with you and Blissboy. Number 2 you released a song without mentioning my name. Three, you shot a music video without telling me that means it has been like we are not working together,” he replied.
Attempts to solicit comments from Makhadzi drew a blank.