Doja Cat and her father, Dumisani Dlamini, are once again at the center of public attention as their long-standing estrangement plays out across social media, with new claims adding to an already complicated history.
Dlamini recently addressed their relationship in a now-deleted Instagram post, where he pushed back against years of “deadbeat dad” allegations. The South African actor, best known for his role in the 1992 film Sarafina!, said he had been misrepresented and claimed that his daughter’s perception of him had been shaped by her mother, Deborah Sawyer.
According to Dlamini, Sawyer influenced Doja Cat into believing he had abandoned her. In his post, he alleged that he never left his daughter and that their strained relationship stemmed from what he described as manipulation. He also claimed that Doja Cat had the opportunity to see him during her recent visit to South Africa, but did not follow through.
The comments come shortly after renewed tension between the two following Doja Cat’s recent performances in Pretoria. The artist had publicly spoken about her father in a series of TikTok videos titled “The Deadbeat Chronicles,” where she addressed his absence from her life and mocked him for not attending her show. She said she had reached out and offered him a ticket, but he declined, citing a busy schedule.
Their exchange gained further attention when Doja Cat described a prank she played on him after he refused the invitation, which included sending him a gay pornographic link.
In his response, Dlamini also reflected on his past relationship with Sawyer, stating that when they met, she was raising three children from previous relationships. He said he provided financial support for the household during that time, including contributing to the care of the children. He described using income from his acting career to support the family while they were in the United States.
Dlamini added that those relationships were difficult, claiming the children did not accept him. He maintained that he supported the family regardless and reiterated his position that he had been present and involved, contrary to how he believes he has been portrayed.
The latest statements mark another chapter in a relationship that has unfolded publicly over the years, with both Doja Cat and her father sharing conflicting accounts about their past.
