Campaign builds to block ‘undesirable’ R&B star Chris Brown’s Johannesburg gigs

Chris Brown’s sold-out Johannesburg concerts have sparked debate, putting the spotlight on his history of violence and raising questions about South Africa’s stance on gender-based violence (GBV) as well as the country’s visa approval policies.

Pattern of violence

Brown, the 35-year-old American R&B singer, songwriter and actor, has built an astounding career on the strength of his soulful voice and captivating dance moves. Raised in Virginia, Brown’s musical talents were evident from a young age, when he was discovered and signed to Jive Records at 15, setting the stage for a meteoric rise to fame.

However, behind his success lies a troubling history of alleged violence and misconduct. Brown was convicted in 2009 for assaulting and threatening to kill his then girlfriend,  mega pop star Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years’ probation.

In 2014, Brown pleaded guilty to an assault charge for punching a man in the face without provocation in downtown Washington. In 2017, he was served with a five-year restraining order from ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran.

His pattern of abuse led the Australian government to issue Brown with a notice of intent to refuse to grant him a visa on “character grounds”, one day before his tickets went on sale in 2015. His appeal was unsuccessful.

The BBC reported that Brown had “previously been banned” from entering other countries including the UK, Canada and New Zealand. 

Read more:  Stars point to hardcore crime beneath what is presented to us as entertainment

Despite his controversial past, Brown’s cult following and popularity remains, as evidenced by his upcoming sold-out shows at Africa’s largest venue, FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, on 14 and 15 December. The Grammy winner’s concerts, priced from R400 to R4,300, sold out the 94,000-plus-seat venue in under 24 hours.

Calls for cancellation

The controversy has gained momentum, with commentators speaking out for and against his tour. Women for Change started a #MuteChrisBrown petition on 2 October calling for Brown’s performances to be halted owing to his history of violence. At the time of publication it had more than 48,000 signatures.

The Good party has also expressed concern, with secretary-general Brett Herron writing an open letter to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber to declare Brown “an undesirable person” under section 30 of the Immigration Act.

Herron cited Brown’s 2009 felony assault conviction as grounds for denial, arguing that allowing him to perform would contradict the government’s commitment to combating GBV and femicide. “Brown pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assault and was sentenced to five years’ probation and 180 days of community labour in a plea agreement. He was later sentenced to 131 days in prison for violation of his probation. He was not given the alternative of a fine,” Herron wrote.

Criteria for ‘undesirable’ status 

According to section 30 of the Immigration Act (No 13 of 2002), a foreigner may be declared an “undesirable person” by the minister of home affairs if they have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment without the option of a fine, deported or removed from another country, or involved in illicit activities such as people trafficking or smuggling of migrants.

Additionally, a foreigner’s presence in South Africa may be deemed detrimental to the country’s interests or welfare. If declared undesirable, an individual becomes ineligible for a visa or a permit, may be prohibited from entering or remaining in South Africa, and potentially faces deportation or removal. The declaration must be made in writing, specifying grounds and informing the individual of their right to appeal within 10 days.

Chris Brown performs during his 11:11 tour at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 3 August 2024. (Photo: Mindy Small / Getty Images)

Visa approval concerns

Speaking to Daily Maverick this week, Women for Change founder Sabrina Walter said South Africa should follow the example of other countries that had revoked Brown’s visa.

“This precedent raises serious concerns about how the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa could grant a visa to a convicted abuser to perform in our country. This decision is indicative of a systemic failure that we must address.”

Women for Change “cannot, and will not, condone abusers, no matter how famous they are”.

In support of the tour

In turn, it has been reported that Brown has responded via the comment section of the post by Women For Change, writing: “Can’t wait to come.”

A petition in support of the concerts has also been launched  by “Team Breezy” to counter Women for Change‘s campaign, with almost 20,000 signatures recorded to date. The petition states it is not “about excusing or diminishing Chris Brown’s past actions, but rather about recognising his journey toward rectification and the contributions he continues to make through his art. We believe in the power of music to heal and unite, and we are confident that his performances will enrich our nation’s cultural landscape.”

Author Fred Khumalo is among those who have penned articles in support of the tour. He wrote in  Sunday Times: “Let us elicit the good from the bad. And, quite frankly, we can always separate the artist from his art. Embrace the art, and rebuke the artist, if need be. To put it bluntly, the art can transcend the artist. Let us be open-minded enough to allow for that. But to insult and abuse those who are exercising their democratic right to embrace a malevolent artist’s work is downright stupid and even inhuman.”

South Africa’s GBVF crisis

Between January and June 2024, “South Africa saw the brutal murders of 1,894 women and 567 children. Gender-based violence and femicide are a crisis here, and the choice to grant a platform to someone with a known and long history of abuse is deeply troubling and hurtful to survivors. Our community voiced similar concerns, which is why we felt it was critical to launch this petition.

“Every day, we share stories from women who have bravely chosen to speak out for the first time, and I have personally honoured the lives of over 200 women on our social media pages who were victims of femicide this year alone.”

Condemning public figures

Regarding public figures who have been accused of GBV, Walter said: “We have never shied away from condemning public figures, from R Kelly and Andrew Tate to P Diddy and local artists like AKA and Jub Jub, who have perpetuated violence. This stance is non-negotiable; we cannot support those who harm others.”

Home Affairs’ response

When contacted for comment, the Department of Home Affairs referred Daily Maverick to Minister Schreiber’s interview with the SABC, in which he stated:

“I have not received anything on that front officially, but I suppose what I can say is what I’ve been saying from day one in the department… that we will be guided by the law when we take decisions in Home Affairs…We cannot be guided by anything other than what the law tells us, and so that’s the metric we apply to any and all such cases.

“I guess in this case as well, the question can also be directed at organisers… We don’t necessarily play the function of inviting people to South Africa. We process one part of it, which is, of course, whether they meet the South African laws threshold in terms of entry and exit procedures.

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“I do want to say that for all such cases, we certainly don’t want to weaponise executive power to punish people outside of the law. We will strictly enforce the law… but we will always do so on the basis of what the Constitution and the law requires of us, and nothing else.”

Chris Brown performs in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on 6 March 2023. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Sander Koning)

The controversy

Critics on social media also pointed out an apparent double standard in the backlash against Brown. 

In 2023, he faced minimal criticism when he gave South African teenage musician Naledi Aphiwe more than R50,000 and an iPhone for incorporating her song into his 11:11 album.

Critics also pointed out the silence surrounding Brown’s invitation to South African singer Tyla to support him on his Under the Influence Tour across the UK and Europe in 2023.

Among the planned concertgoers is Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town who quit following a leadership and governance crisis.

Read more: Inside UCT’s governance crisis

Phakeng faced a backlash on social media after she bought six premium tickets worth nearly R30,000 to Brown’s concert. She responded: “Music is bigger than the individual; it connects us and heals us in different ways. Some of us are capable of loving art while still holding artists accountable ... Attending the concert does not magically erase our moral stance on GBV. It does not make us hypocrites, nor does it make us blind to the gravity of Chris Brown’s past actions. In this case, I don’t even have the full details of his past actions … I simply love his music! If you hold a different view, then big ups to you, but please do not impose your narrow beliefs on me, or anyone for that matter.”

Expert insight

Lisa Vetten, a veteran gender-based violence specialist, criticised companies supporting Brown’s performances. “There are rules around who may or may not obtain a visa into the country. I don’t know if Chris Brown did or didn’t meet those, but I think the questions have to be asked about the company. Is it okay for them to simply bring out whoever they like, regardless of that person’s behaviour and conduct? Because in many ways companies … are part of the problem because they enable, advertise and promote this kind of conduct as well.” 

Despite several requests for comment over a few days, event organisers Big Concerts had not responded by the time of publication. DM