Nirvana Nokwe accuses Bonko Khoza of sexual assault
Former Outlaws actress Nirvana Nokwe is pushing for major reform in South Africa’s film and television industry following her recent sexual assault allegations against actor Bonko Khoza.
Days after publicly accusing her former co-star of assaulting her on the set of Red Ink in 2023, Nokwe has now launched a petition calling for stricter safety measures and accountability within the entertainment space.
The actress says her experience exposed a much bigger problem within the industry, where many creatives allegedly feel pressured to remain silent about abuse and mistreatment to avoid losing work opportunities.
“What was experienced is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader reality within the film and television industry, where safety is often compromised, accountability is inconsistent, and individuals are expected to endure exploitation in order to sustain their careers,” she said.
Nokwe previously revealed that she had opened a criminal case and informed the production’s executive producer about the alleged incident, but claimed the matter was ultimately ignored without meaningful intervention.
She also alleged that she was warned speaking publicly about the matter could destroy her career.
According to the actress, even some women who were aware of the situation allegedly chose silence over support.
The controversy has sparked intense debate online since her allegations surfaced on 16 May 2026, with social media users divided over the claims and the industry’s handling of such matters.
Now stepping away from acting entirely, Nokwe says she wants to focus on changing the system she believes failed her and many others.
Her petition advocates for independent licensing structures, trauma-informed ethics training and transparent vetting systems aimed at protecting actors and other creatives from abuse and exploitation on sets.
“In an industry where longevity is often tied to one’s ability to withstand abuse without protest, silence is not neutrality; it is complicity,” she stated.
The actress believes the entertainment industry can no longer rely solely on internal structures that she claims repeatedly fail vulnerable workers.
“Rather than continuing to depend on structures that have repeatedly failed to protect us, we can begin to create and participate in ecosystems where alignment is intentional.”
Nokwe added that she wants accountability to move beyond powerful executives and become community-driven.
“This is not about removing accountability, but about redistributing it, so that power is not concentrated in institutions that can ignore harm, but shared across communities and systems that prioritise human dignity.”
As of 18 May, the petition had already attracted more than 700 signatures, with supporters rallying behind her calls for reform and safer working environments within the South African entertainment industry.