Award-winning gospel singer Xoliswa Kwinana was arrested this week following serious allegations of gender-based violence made by his estranged wife, Ndikhona Hlatika.
The arrest came after Hlatika opened a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, citing a history of abuse that allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2022 while they were still living together in Cape Town.
Hlatika claimed she was physically assaulted on multiple occasions, including while she was three months pregnant.
“It all started in 2021, but I remember very well the night he smacked me while I was pregnant,” she recalled in her protection order obtained last year.
“He done it again while I was pregnant, and I ran to a shelter because the following day he acted like nothing happened.”
In her sworn statement, she alleged that Kwinana often shouted at her after the attacks, flipping the narrative to make her feel like the aggressor.
She detailed an incident where, after another beating, she fled to his grandmother’s house in search of safety.
The singer’s alleged abuse was not just physical.
Hlatika accused him of emotional, financial, and psychological torment, stating, “He is a narcissist. He has spat in my face before, broken my phone and called me names… He has called me a foolish wife.”
When asked whether she believed he was using drugs, Hlatika responded that while she didn’t know for sure, alcohol was definitely involved.
“He is not on drugs, not that I know of, but he drinks wine,” she said.
Her fears were deeply personal and alarming.
“He is capable of killing me, because he apologised and said he didn’t know what got into him. Clearly, he is capable of killing me,” she stated, adding that she sought the protection order because she had no siblings to defend her.
“My father passed away at a young age. My mom is so kind and forgiving.”
The case gained momentum when anti-gender-based violence activist Nosipho Daniels, from the Malihambe Women Outreach organisation, stepped in.
Daniels said Hlatika reached out to them and later opened a case with their support on July 3.
Kwinana eventually turned himself in through his legal team and was released on bail after appearing in court.