Relebogile Mabotja Receives Apology Following Heated Salon Incident

• Relebogile Mabotja has reportedly received a formal apology from the man whose aggressive public outburst against her went viral across social media
• The veteran media personality earned widespread praise for intervening when she witnessed a man bullying a group of women, documenting the confrontation to publish online
• In the wake of intense online backlash, the man involved in the incident has reportedly reached out to Mabotja to express regret for his behaviour and disrespectful conduct

In a rare victory for public accountability, the man caught on camera harassing Relebogile Mabotja and a group of women has reportedly issued a formal apology after his actions sparked nationwide backlash.

The veteran broadcaster was involved in a public verbal altercation with an unknown man at the Sorbet nail salon on 17 December 2025, after standing up for the salon workers, whom the man was allegedly bullying and being verbally abusive towards.

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According to Relebogile, the man barged into the salon, demanding a refund and behaving unreasonably. He demanded his money back, claiming that his wife's nails, which were done earlier that day, looked terrible and that he was not happy.

While the salon staff attempted to de-escalate the volatile situation, their efforts were largely overshadowed by the man's persistent aggression until Mabotja stepped in.

She captured the incident on camera, including the man's face, where she called him out multiple times for disrespecting the ladies. The video trended on social media, with Relebogile receiving praise for standing up for the defenceless women, while others worried about her safety.

On 19 December, the award-winning broadcaster released a statement confirming that she and the women had received apologies from the man whose name is Martin Michael.

The 702 presenter revealed that Sorbet had been in contact with the affected staff, offering support and counselling. She has since deleted the videos and related material as the matter is investigated further.

"The matter has now been referred to head office for conclusion. While apologies are noted, accountability and meaningful outcomes remain important. My hope is that this leads to fewer incidents like this in the future."

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Once again, Relebogile received an outpouring of support and applause for her bravery, with many hailing her as a voice for the voiceless and a prime example of how public figures can use their platforms to stand against the harassment faced by many women.

Read Relebogile Mabotja's statement below.

Social media reacts to Relebogile Mabotja's incident

Online users were incredibly proud of Relebogile and praised her for standing up against the bully.

makgomo said:

"Well done, Relebogile, you were the voice for the voiceless."

nombasa_kona wrote:

"Sometimes doing the Lord's work is just standing up for others!!! Well done on this one, Relebogile. I hope this man learned a lesson."

asa.tindleni praised Relebogile Mabotja:

"Good for you, mama. Keep speaking up for the voiceless."

Meanwhile, others were apparently unimpressed with how Relebogile handled the situation, claiming that she was in the wrong for fighting a fight that was not hers.

LuckyMavuso20 called out the broadcaster:

"You swore at him first, you made it about race, and when he walked away, you continued to follow him and swore even more at him, but he's the one who apologised. I can't believe I'm saying this, but he's a bigger person than you."

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BlaqPlateau slammed Relebogile Mabotja:

"You're pathetic."

Sxyleera said:

"I know that sometimes you really want to be right, but you were wrong. That man wasn't talking to you or about you. He went in there and wanted to speak with someone who helped his wife, and because you wanted to trend, you involved yourself."

Chad Da Don's mother calls out Pearl Thusi

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Chad Da Don's mother, Norma Mansoor, slamming Pearl Thusi on social media.

Like many of her followers, the artist manager was not impressed with Pearl's speech at DJ Warras' memorial service and decided to call her to order.

Source: Briefly News