SORRY EXCUSE
Why Jub Jub won’t apologise for killings
● Rapper Jub Jub kicks off his new reality show about forgiveness and reconciliation next week — but the convicted killer has yet to seek forgiveness from the families of two of the teenagers he killed when he drove his car into them in 2010.
In the series Uthando Noxolo, the artist (real name Molemo Maarohanye) helps people say sorry and patch up their relationships with those they have wronged.
This week in an interview with the Sunday Times Maarohanye said he had asked the families of the teens he killed and injured when he crashed his car into them eight years ago to forgive him.
Maarohanye was reluctant to talk about his own efforts at reconciliation in the interview this week.
“Everybody’s got a dark past and I don’t think people want to be reminded of it. It’s whack, it’s boring, it’s done, why go back there?
“If somebody has to come to me and say ‘It’s important’ — for who, who is it important for? The only people that mattered was myself and the families,” he said.
But the fathers of two of the boys denied that Maarohanye had ever contacted them.
“You can only forgive someone who came and asked for forgiveness, he has never shown remorse and even until today he’s never come and asked for forgiveness,” said Ian Mthombeni, whose son Andile, 19, was among those killed.
“If I could take the law into my own hands, I would spend more time in jail than him. That’s how it works, I’m a father who lost my son, but he [Maarohanye] doesn’t care.”
“This just shows how weak South Africa is when it comes to the law. How can [DStv] allow such a show?”
Asked if he had contacted the families, Maarohanye did not give a straight answer, saying he was no longer talking about the past but was focused on moving forward.
“He says he doesn’t want to look at the past because it doesn’t affect him. As a father this will stay with us for the rest of our lives. Where do we get closure? I don’t even listen to the radio anymore in case I hear his songs,” Mthombeni said.
Edwin Masemola, who lost his son Phomello, 16, said he didn’t have a problem with the rapper hosting a TV show on reconciliation, but said he was yet to receive a call from him apologising for what he had done.
“He’s never come and asked for forgiveness, so no, I have not forgiven him. But if he comes and asks for forgiveness then I can forgive him, he’s always welcome,” Masemola said.
The hip-hop artist is out on parole following four years in prison. In 2012 he and Themba Tshabalala were convicted of culpable homicide for crashing their vehicles into a group of schoolchildren while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Four pupils were killed and two were left with permanent brain damage.
Asked if he personally felt he had been forgiven, he said the most important absolution he had received was from God.
“The only reason why I was able to have the courage to continue with this show is because I felt at peace with myself.
“You cannot be teaching peace when you’re not at peace with yourself, you can’t love anybody when you don’t love yourself.”
When the Sunday Times called him later to say the two fathers had denied that he approached them for forgiveness, Maarohanye said: “Obviously I’ve asked for forgiveness, you can’t do a victim offender dialogue . . . the whole point is to apologise. I asked for forgiveness. I don’t want to dwell on the past.”
He handed the phone to the TV show’s director Sam Magagula, who said Maarohanye would not have been selected to host the series had he not apologised to his victims’ families.
The show will air on Moja Love, DStv channel 157.
“We’re dealing with raw emotions here . . . he’s done his time, he wants to move on now and start afresh,” Magagula said.
The Department of Correctional Services said it could not divulge which of Jub Jubs’s victims had participated in the victim offender dialogues.
“In relation to Molemo Maarohanye’s case, we can confirm that all the victims were consulted and some welcomed the opportunity to participate. Yes, some families expressed that they were not ready to meet . . .
“Procedurally, all processes were followed and he was recommended [for] . . . parole by the Parole Board,” said Correctional Services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo.
Lindiwe Mbonambi, head of marketing and PR at Moja Love, said the channel believed the show was relevant as it was part of its content strategy.
He has never shown remorse and even until today he’s never come and asked for forgiveness Ian Mthombeni, above whose son Andile, 19, was among those killed in the car crash
He’s never come and asked for forgiveness, so no, I have not forgiven him. But if he comes and asks for forgiveness then I can forgive him, he’s always welcome Edwin Masemola Who lost his son Phomello, 16 Everybody’s got a dark past and I don’t think people want to be reminded of it
Jub Jub
When asked about what efforts he had made to reconcile with the families of his victims