Chris Brown faces backlash in South Africa as women’s rights groups call for concert ban

Chris Brown's upcoming concert in South Africa has sparked significant backlash from women’s rights groups due to his history of violence against women. Advocacy group Women for Change has launched a petition to stop the concert, which has already garnered over 20,000 signatures. The group's executive director, Sabina Walter, expressed her disappointment, stating, “When someone like Chris Brown is given a platform in a country where GBV [gender-based violence] is at crisis levels, it sends a damaging message – that fame and power outweigh accountability.”

Brown, who sold more than 94,000 tickets for his South African concert, pleaded guilty to assaulting singer Rihanna in 2009. His criminal record has previously led to bans from entering several countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. This renewed controversy comes as South Africa continues to battle high rates of femicide and gender-based violence.

Despite the criticism, Brown's concert is still set to proceed, and the artist has not commented publicly on the petition or the backlash.