Chris Brown’s FNB Stadium concert sparks debate on gender-based violence in South Africa

Chris Brown’s upcoming concert in South Africa is bringing renewed attention to the country’s shocking violence against women, which campaigners say sends the wrong message given his history of abuse.

In less than two hours, the Grammy winner managed to sell out Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium, Africa’s largest stadium with over 94,000 seats. Demand was so high that a second December date was added.

Despite generating huge interest, the R ‘n’ B star faced backlash from people who didn’t want him to perform because of his violent past.

“When I saw the news that Chris Brown was coming to South Africa, I was shocked and deeply disappointed,” said Sabina Walter, executive director of Women for Change, an organization that advocates for women and children’s rights in South Africa.

The group has launched a petition calling for the American artist to be stopped from performing. Currently more than 20,000 signatures.

“The petition was launched to send a strong message that we will not tolerate the celebration of individuals with a history of violence against women,” especially in a country like South Africa, Ms. Watt said.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of femicide and gender-based violence in the world.

Approximately one rape case was reported in the country Every 12 minutes Presumably there is more that has not been recorded.

Ms Waters said: “When someone like Chris Brown is given a platform in a country where gender-based violence is at crisis levels, it sends a damaging message – reputation and power trump responsibility.”

The most famous example of Chris Brown’s history of abuse was his 2009 domestic dispute with singer Rihanna.

Chris Brown, then 19, pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to five years of probation, community service and domestic violence counseling.

Although Rihanna forgave him and the two briefly dated again after the incidentChris Brown has also been accused of violent behavior by other women and men.

Women for Change said they wanted to know how the Home Office issued visas to “convicted abusers”.

For Ms Walter, the decision was “worrying and indicative of systemic failure”.

Under South African law, previous convictions may result in visa refusal. However, there can be exceptions for “just cause” and these exceptions are approved by the Director General of the Ministry of Interior.

Chris Brown has previously been banned from entering other countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, although he has subsequently gone on to play football in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

But his South African fans were undeterred.

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town, said on X that she will attend the Chris Brown concert.

“I am completely against GBV and condemn it. I believe that those who commit gender-based violence should be punished by the law without any exceptions or leniency.

“But let me be clear, just in case this message isn’t so popular: I will attend Brown’s concert if he comes. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.

“To suggest that enjoying a concert aligns you with the artist’s every past act is simplistic at best and intellectually dishonest at worst,” she said.

Professor Phakeng explains, “Music is more important than the individual.”

She added that boycotting Chris Brown’s concerts would not end GBV in South Africa.

“Attending a concert does not magically eliminate our moral stance on GBV.”

Although this is not Chris Brown’s first concert in South Africa, his fans are very excited.

One of them said on

“Chris Brown, you don’t know us yet…but my wife and I are going to be two little fans in the stands, singing and dancing at every jam!!!” said another.

Ms Waters said she had even received threats for speaking out against the US star.

“Chris Brown’s supporters seem prepared to defend him at all costs,” she said.

“The criticism our petition has faced is significant and actually reveals a deep disconnect in how we as a society view violence against women.”

She said people are often willing to “forgive abuse” when it comes to celebrities they admire.

Ms Waters said selective anger was dangerous because it perpetuated rape culture and exposed women to high levels of violence every day.

President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that South Africa has a serious problem with gender-based violence and in August called on the country’s men to take a stand.

“Our ultimate goal is to completely end gender-based violence,” he said.

However, that goal remains elusive – five years after he called for action to address the issue, little has changed. The country’s ‘rape crisis’.

This year alone, Women for Change has paid tribute to more than 200 women who have lost their lives to femicide.

“This fight is not just about this concert. It is about changing the narrative in South Africa, where abusers are held accountable and violence against women is never forgiven, ignored or forgotten.”