In a detailed, multi-slide open letter shared on Instagram, Jacquie Khomo has publicly defended her sister, actress and businesswoman Phuti Khomo, amid escalating social media allegations regarding an alleged unpaid debt.
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Clarifying that she was speaking strictly as a concerned sister rather than on behalf of Phuti’s management or legal team, Jacquie questioned why the dispute has played out via public humiliation rather than through South Africa’s established legal channels.
Legal channels, arrest claims, and questioning the narrative
Jacquie identified the accuser as television and film producer Tumelo Maimela, alleging in her statement that Maimela was expected to face arrest, directing media enquiries to the Douglasdale Police Station.
Addressing the core financial claims that have circulated since 2025, Jacquie stated that in her personal opinion, Maimela is not owed the money she claims.
She questioned why, over the course of a year, the accuser did not pursue formal mechanisms such as the CCMA, Small Claims Court, or civil courts instead of launching what Jacquie described as a coordinated smear campaign designed to destroy Phuti’s credibility ahead of sensitive matters that may become public before the end of the year.
Privacy concerns over ‘Maid in Joburg’ participants
A major point of concern in Jacquie’s letter centred on Phuti’s reality television project, The Help / Maid in Joburg, which was created to celebrate domestic workers and provide them with additional income.
Jacquie criticised the accuser for allegedly disclosing creative details of the production and publishing photographs identifying participating women as domestic workers without their explicit consent for social media exposure.
She argued that exposing innocent third parties stripped these women of their privacy and dignity while jeopardising future income-generating opportunities.
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Background on the public dispute
The controversy began when Maimela took to social media to claim that Phuti Khomo owed her payment for a reality production they collaborated on.
According to Maimela’s account, pre-production work and initial interviews, including conversations with domestic workers associated with Phuti, took place before funding and subsequent payments stalled. What began as a dispute over production compensation expanded into broader public commentary online, with Maimela airing various grievances and personal claims.
This online escalation ultimately created the intense social media storm that prompted Jacquie Khomo to issue her public open letter defending her sister and challenging the methods used to air these grievances.
Defending Phuti Khomo’s legacy and humanitarian work
Concluding her statement, Jacquie urged the public and media to verify facts rather than treating viral hashtags as court judgments. She highlighted Phuti’s decades-long dedication to uplifting disadvantaged communities through self-funded initiatives like Tsoga Mo Africa and the Phuti Khomo Modelling Expo.
Insisting that her sister’s spirit remains unbroken, Jacquie affirmed that Phuti’s projects and community platforms will continue moving forward while the matter is addressed through the legal system.
Featured image: Instagram/@phutikhomo
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