Babes and Mampintsha: A collab & 'reunion' - What does the law say?

Two months after a video of Mampintsha hitting his girlfriend Babes Wodumo went viral, the pair have released a new song together and their romance may be back on: but what does that mean for the assault charges?

Mampintsha's version

Mampintsha's manager Lindo “Dogg DBN” Buthelezi told TshisaLIVE that the musician has dropped assault charges against Babes, insisting the pair are back together and in love.

"When you are in a relationship with someone and you have different personalities, things can happen. People are waiting for them to fight and go at each other, but they are in love. This is real. The love is real. This was not fabricated. We are not playing anyone for fools."

Babes mum

Babes' manager Nondumiso Simelane did not respond to requests for comment. She previously denied speculation that the couple had got back together and said the assault charges would not be dropped.

The law

Attempts to get comment from the NPA and lawyers from both parties were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this article.

The decision on whether to follow up on the case lies in the hands of the NPA.

However, lawyer Buhle Tonise from Tonise Attorneys told TshisaLIVE that the NPA could withdraw a case if the victim refused to testify

"The NPA needs a witness and if the key witness, who is in this case the complainant, is not willing to testify or proceed with the case, then he/she can ask that charges be withdrawn. The NPA needs to make sure that the withdrawal is voluntary and he/she has not been unduly influenced."

The video

On Friday Mampintsha released a track and music video featuring Babes called Khona iy'ngane kayndlini. The title is taken from a line said by Mampintsha in the assault video. The video immediately trended and showed Babes and Mampintsha getting into an argument before she races off in a car, accompanied by muso Tipcee.

It also features what appears to be police confronting the star and taking a statement.

Babes, on her Instagram stories, posted an image from the video with two heart emoticons.

The video, and Babes' response, drew backlash from fans who accused the pair of playing with their emotions and pulling a publicity stunt.