Publicist claims Nicholas Nkuna owes her money, actor and singer responds

A publicist has come forward with allegations that actor and singer Nicholas Nkuna owes her money for services rendered.

Mmabatho Tladi, the founder of Amplified 85 Media, claims Nicholas approached her company for PR services in 2022 but has failed to pay R10,000 for the work done.

In a statement shared with TimesLIVE, Mmabatho described Nicholas’ behaviour as “awful” and claimed he has a history of being aggressive and unprofessional.

She said she has worked with many clients in the entertainment industry without incident, and said Nicholas’ behaviour has left her feeling “undermined and disrespected” as a woman running her own business.

“I’ve worked with many industry colleagues and am yet to experience awful behaviour and non-payment. I have built my consultancy from scratch since 2015. Nick is aggressive and his tantrums are very unbecoming. He claims to have protocol yet he doesn’t honour a contract,” Mmabatho said in an e-mail thread shared with artists and music executives.

She said she planned to take the actor and singer to the small claims court.

“I work with professionals and people who value their careers in music. They arrive at interviews on time and make sure they deliver quality performances. As a woman running her own company I feel very undermined and disrespected by Nick Nkuna. He has treated some members of the media with disdain. I will continue to pursue legal action and make sure women are not taken for granted in our industry.”

Nicholas responded to the allegations, saying the matter is a private and delicate legal issue.

He claimed that Mmabatho worked with him under a verbal trial contract for a short time in October, butt there were no further agreements in place after that.

“This matter is personal and legal, and has no bearing on the individuals or organisations she has chosen to involve. Her actions appear unprofessional, malicious and an attempt to harm my brand by creating unnecessary confusion and tension within the industry,” he wrote in his response.

“To clarify, since her departure I have been working with other PR companies alongside the Afrojam team who have delivered exceptional results, driving my brand forward. The claims made by Mmathabo are unfounded, and the resolution of this matter lies solely within the court’s jurisdiction. She has been provided with legal avenues to address her concerns, and I trust she will respect due process.”