South African fashion genius David Tlale has been in the fashion industry for many years and has cemented his name as one of the biggest brands in the country. His clothing line has been worn on local and international fashion shows, and many rich and famous people wear him to prestigious events. David Tlale may be the next victim of cancel culture after the designer got accused of sexual assault by one of his former employees on social media.
The designer became a household name in 2003 when he won the Elle New Talent during South Africa Fashion Week. That same week he launched his new fashion house called David Tlale, a brand from the diverse cultures in South Africa.
Designer David Tlale accused f sexual assault
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkmtP7vqb4M/
In the past few days, an Instagram user named Zack took to his Instagram page to call out David Tlale for sexual assault and other forms of abuse. He shared a lengthy post that Tlale got close to him when he was 21 with ulterior motives and started a friendship with the young man. He said David Tlale drugged and sexually assaulted him, then exploited his skills for personal gain during the pandemic. Given that Zack looked up to David, he was starstruck and happy that his inspiration gave him the time of day.id
In Zack’s statement, he said he would write sponsorship proposals, pressers and other strategies promising to pay him later, which he never did. Whenever Zack would remind David of the money, he would get defensive and start gaslighting the young man until he offered him a PR and communication manager job, offering him a 66% less salary than the job was worth.
Working for David was hard for Zack as Tlale would make derogatory comments about the young man’s body crushing his self-esteem. After three months of working for Tlale, Zack left and vowed never to work in the fashion industry again. It was only now, after many years, that he shared his experience with his family and the public. When media houses reached out to him to hear his story, Zack refused to speak to them, saying it’s not publicity he wants but legal help.
David Tlale responds to the allegations
The designer responded by posting a cryptic message on his Instagram stories where he posted a bible verse. He quoted from 2nd Corinthians 10 from verses 4 to 5, which says that we do not fight with weapons of the world but by divine power that destroys strongholds and arguments against God’s word. Many people have chosen to stand with Zack and call for David Tlale to be cancelled. Influencers like Gorgeous Mbali showed Zack love and support through his difficult time and urged him to be strong.
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