Flamboyant entertainment figure Somizi Mhlongo has openly defied the Johannesburg High Court by ignoring a court order in an ongoing legal conflict concerning the popular TV program Dinner at Somizi’s, which aired on MultiChoice’s channel 1 Magic TV.
Mhlongo neglected to submit the required heads of argument and practice note in a lawsuit alleging intellectual property theft filed against him by innovative TV producer Hastings Moeng.
Background of the Allegations
Somizi Mhlongo, an Idols SA judge and Metro FM presenter, is embroiled in accusations dating back to 2020. Moeng asserts that he conceived the idea for the show, only to be excluded from its production. The producer shared that he went to Somizi with the idea but was turned down and ignored only to find out his idea had been made into a show years later.
Hastings Moeng, 31, claims to be the original creator of the DSTV’s 1Magic TV show, which features Mhlongo entertaining celebrity guests at his home. Moeng’s allegations suggest that his intellectual property was used without his permission.
Somizi’s Response to the Claims
In response to Moeng’s accusations, Somizi took to Instagram Live, inviting several individuals, including Pearl Thusi, to discuss the matter. During the live session, Somizi explained that Moeng had approached him in 2013 with the idea of a cooking show.
However, Somizi revealed that he declined the proposal at the time as it preceded his role as an Idols SA judge, and he had no intentions or foresight of entering the culinary world.
ALSO READ: “South African Youths Are Unemployable”: DJ Zinhle Sparks Fury In Mzansi After Echoing Foreigners
Email Discrepancies
Regarding the emails purportedly sent by Moeng, Somizi stated that he never received any communication from him. He clarified that he generally does not manage his own emails, implying that any such emails could have been overlooked.
