Warrant of arrest for Babes Wodumo after court no-show

A warrant of arrest has been issued for gqom star Babes Wodumo after she failed to appear in the Durban magistrate's court on common assault charges on Friday.

The charges against Babes, real name Bongekile Simelane, her sister Nondumiso Simelane and artist Tipcee, real name Thobeka Ndaba, were opened at the Umbilo police station in March.

At the time the charges were opened, police spokesperson Brig Jay Naicker said: "The complainant alleges that on Monday evening she attended a gathering at a guesthouse in the Umbilo area when she was assaulted by four women, three of whom are known to her, after she got into an argument with one of them."

At the time Naicker did not confirm that it was Simelane, however a police source confirmed that it was Simelane to TimesLIVE.

The case against Simelane came days after her estranged boyfriend and musician Mandla "Mampintsha" Maphumulo was arrested on charges of assault following footage of Simelane being slapped several times by Maphumulo went viral.

He was released on R2,000 bail.

Prosecutor Thulani Mavundla told magistrate Jackie Jonck that all three woman had been personally served with a summons to appear before the court but were not present.