'I don't need the money or fake industry friends' — Mongezi Mahlangu on his comedy comeback

Before he went on a hiatus from the entertainment industry, Mongezi Mahlangu went under the moniker Tol A$$ Mo. Now, as he makes his comeback, he wants the world to know he returns as a changed man.

“I don't feel like I'm Tol A$$ Mo ... The old Tol A$$ Mo was hard-core, reckless ... and at the same time very conservative, shy, and very scared to speak about my true life experiences. Now I'm different,” he told TshisaLIVE.

In 2019, the comedian announced he had decided to drop the mic after 15 years of stand-up “to move on to other things in life”, saying he preferred not to explain himself.

The move happened amid model and actress Lerato Moloi alleging that the comedian had raped her. The model opened a rape case as well as one of sexual harassment, which saw Mongezi face a scathing backlash from the public.

“The reason I kept quiet when I was being accused and my name was being dragged through the mud, was I couldn't defend myself,” Mongezi said.

On August 16, Mongezi was acquitted of all charges levelled against him, but he feels the public has not accepted the court's judgment. 

“I don't know what SA wants from me ... I realised that they can't wait to see the demise of something good. They take more hype in the death and destruction of an individual than the growth.

"[You're] guilty until proven innocent, and even after being proven innocent, you're still guilty. The experience that I went through being falsely accused of rape and sexual harassment destroyed my life.” 

Speaking of the impact of the allegations against him, Mongezi recalled having to change his children's schools because of them being bullied, relocating from their Sandton home for their safety, while undergoing a spiritual transition. 

“I was alone with my wife and kids. My son's music stopped playing everywhere, Khumo's advertisements were cancelled. Some of the people who Mome considered to be friends are gone, only the real few ones are left.

“Now, I feel intimidated to walk into a room full of women. The crazy thing is ubunyanga bami, ever since I started 99% of my patients are women.”

He's now suing Lerato for defamation of character.

Lerato couldn't be reached for comment at the time of publishing this article.

“I didn't have a reason to come back. If people think I'm coming back because I need the money, they got the wrong idea. What I lost in the past two-and-a-half years, spiritually, physically, and mentally, is worth more than the money they can try to compensate me with today ... it's still not worth my life.

“I want SA to know I don't live for them, I used to live my life for them. I've reached a point where I only live for God, my ancestors, my wife, and my kids. I don't have friends in this industry and I don't want them.”

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