Enhle Mbali slammed for using apartheid-era slur to describe 4C hair

Media personality faces backlash after remarks at Carlton Hair event spark outrage and calls for accountability

Mapaballo Borotho

Actress and media personality Enhle Mbali has come under heavy criticism for using an apartheid-era racial slur to describe her natural 4C hair.

The backlash erupted after a video circulated on social media showing Mbali addressing guests at the launch of her new partnership with Carlton Hair, which predominantly deals with Caucasian hair.

In the clip, she is heard saying in an Afrikaner accent:

“Listen, it’s the new South Africa and I am allowed to say this neh, I’ve got K-hair. And Black people know exactly what I mean, Coloured people know exactly what I mean.”

So Enhle Mbali felt it was okay to refer to her coarse-textured hair as “k*ffir hare” in front of white and coloured women? Yho. pic.twitter.com/eywrv0qmpY
— demz 🎀 (@_dem_gem) September 11, 2025

Her comments sparked outrage, with many South Africans accusing her of demeaning Black identity and reinforcing racial stereotypes to appeal to white audiences.

Critics flooded social media, urging her to retract her words, with one user writing:

“This behaviour cannot be excused just because she is Black.”

Some supporters defended her, arguing that the term had historically been used in townships to describe tightly coiled hair.

However, others maintained that her words were offensive, especially coming from a public figure in a professional setting.

Mbali later released a video apology on her Instagram profile.

“I am posting this video to express my heartfelt apology as a Black South African woman, for offending members of the community during my speech, as that was far from my intention. The K-word is still a sticky one with lots of history behind it.”

She explained that the phrase “K-hair” was commonly used where she grew up, insisting she never intended to demean anyone.

“We rendered the K-word’s humiliation untrue; therefore, it was never owned space… My intention was not to dismiss or demean any community while sharing my personal experiences. With that being said, I fully understand this is not the case for everyone. Once again, my sincerest apology.”

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A post shared by Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa (@enhlembali_)

Her apology has been met with mixed reactions. Some accepted it, while others dismissed it as insincere. One social media user wrote under her video:

“You stood in front of people and disrespected every Black person and people who died fighting for this freedom. This is not an apology, you just don’t care.”

In the wake of the controversy, Carlton Hair has reportedly suspended all promotional content featuring Mbali and launched a review of its partnership guidelines.