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A TikTok creator known as Nobangela Lokishi has opened up about the difficulties of pursuing higher education due to a criminal record.
The record stems from a 2024 incident involving homophobic and body-shaming comments he made about fellow creator Dominic Zaca.
In a recent social media video, Lokishi explained that the controversy began two years ago while he was filming promotional content for a sneaker brand. During the video, he made derogatory remarks targeting Zaca. The content was flagged as homophobic and Lokishi was subsequently ordered to pay a R45,000 fine.
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While the public backlash eventually died down, Lokishi claimed the issue resurfaced this year when he attempted to enrol at a university which he did not mention.
During the university registration process, Lokishi was required to submit several documents, including a certified copy of his ID, a police clearance certificate and a clearance certificate from the National Child Protection Register.
However, when he went to the police station to obtain his police clearance, officials informed him that the previous body-shaming incident and subsequent fine had left a “flag” on his name.
“She explained how the case was back in motion,” Lokishi said. “I didn’t know all this because I had been off social media since my matric final exams.”
While he did not provide explicit legal details, Lokishi claimed the criminal record has effectively barred him from attending university for the next five years.
When the video was made, Zaca posted a video responding to the homophobic remarks. He demanded R45,000 from Lokishi for defamation and revealed he had contacted the sneaker brand, which confirmed it had not approved Lokishi’s content.
At the time, Lokishi was asked to take the video down but initially refused, prompting Zaca to take legal action.
“I know you don’t have R45,000 since you’re a student, but since you want to play smart, I want you to figure out how you’re going to pay me in the next seven days, or my lawyer will be in touch,” Zaca said at the time. “I want to teach you a lesson so that in the future, when you are doing something, you use your brain.”
After the legal threat, Lokishi deleted the video and issued an apology, but the legal consequences remained.
The situation has sparked intense debate on social media, with many users questioning the severity and legality of Lokishi’s alleged academic ban.
Speaking to TimesLIVE, legal expert Kobue Mokgosi clarified that a university, generally, cannot bar a student from studying a course they desire, provided they meet the academic criteria.
“All students are judged on their APS (Admission Point Score). You cannot be stopped from registering for a course, but what you do after obtaining that qualification is a different story,” Mokgosi explained.
Mokgosi referenced how prison inmates are legally permitted to study law. While a criminal record does not stop them from earning a degree, he said a professional body, such as the Legal Practice Council, could object to them practising as attorneys in the future.
Department of higher education spokesperson Matshepo Seedat echoed these sentiments, noting that while higher education is open to everyone, institutional policies vary.
“Higher education is open to all, even inmates are students at institutions of higher education. So criminal records cannot universally be used to exclude people from education,” Seedat said.
However, Seedat emphasised that exceptions exist for courses that involve interacting with vulnerable groups.
“In instances where the intended qualification requires direct interaction and work with children, a university may, through its policies, require police clearance. This is not applicable to all courses, but only those where it can be legally justified.”
Mokgosi suggested that Lokishi’s rejection by the university may be due to the institution not wanting to associate its brand with Lokishi.
“The institution might not want to associate itself with him. It brings unnecessary attention,” Mokgosi noted.
He warned influencers against chasing viral moments at the expense of others, highlighting the long-term impact.
“You don’t want to insult someone because we live in a very sensitive society. If you think what you did 10 years ago won’t come back to bite you, that is foolish. He (Lokishi) must understand that what he did was wrong. He insulted someone to get views and likes — which he got — but now it has impacted his future.”
TimesLIVE
