South African dance music Twitter — and Instagram — was thrown into chaos after Amapiano hitmaker Sir Trill took to social media to publicly call out Gqom heavyweight DJ Sandiso, alleging serious booking and travel mishandling following a recent gig.
What started as a standard festive-season booking has now turned into a full-blown promoter vs artist showdown, with both sides telling very different stories.
Sir Trill Sounds the Alarm on Instagram
In a series of emotionally charged Instagram Stories, Sir Trill accused DJ Sandiso of leaving him stranded after a performance, claiming his return travel was deliberately sabotaged.
“WE GOT BOOKED BY @djsandiso TO COME WORK. THE JOB WAS DONE… THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ME BACK TO THE AIRPORT… NOW OUR FLIGHT TICKETS WHICH WE ADDED MONEY ON TOO — THEY CANCELED IT… NOW I’M STUCK AND I HAVE WORK LATER.”
He followed up with a direct plea aimed squarely at the Gqom star:
“@DJsandiso I NEED TO GO BACK HOME BHUTI. I HAVE WORK LATER.”
The posts quickly went viral, reigniting long-standing conversations about artist exploitation, promoter accountability, and post-performance logistics in South Africa’s live music industry.
DJ Sandiso Breaks His Silence
With social media turning hostile, DJ Sandiso issued a detailed public response, firmly rejecting claims that he abandoned or sabotaged the artist.
According to Sandiso, Sir Trill was booked only for the 27 December performance, while a separate promoter was responsible for Sir Trill’s 28 December KwaZulu-Natal engagement — including return flights.
However, Sandiso says things escalated when Sir Trill allegedly refused to perform unless a return ticket was secured.
To avoid cancelling the show, Sandiso claims he stepped in and arranged a 13:00 return flight, despite it not being his responsibility.
Lost USBs, Angry Drivers & Missed Calls
The drama reportedly intensified after the performance when Sir Trill’s team allegedly left personal equipment at the venue, forcing an urgent return trip amid traffic.
Sandiso claims the driver requested R1,000 to rush the artist from Richards Bay to Durban airport — a request that was declined. By 21:30, the driver had allegedly left.
In response, Sandiso says he secured another driver, who arrived at the hotel and attempted to collect the artist — but was ignored.
According to Sandiso, calls went unanswered and the driver eventually left after being unable to reach the artist’s team.
“I DID NOT CANCEL THE FLIGHTS”
One of the most explosive accusations — flight cancellation — is something Sandiso flatly denies.
He insists he did not book nor cancel Sir Trill’s flights, stating that the event owner made the decision to cancel after learning that Sir Trill’s team had allegedly changed flights independently and were later seen in Durban.
Sandiso claims the cancellation was done to avoid financial loss, not to strand the artist.
Industry Divided as Fans Pick Sides
As expected, the fallout has split fans and industry insiders right down the middle. Some sympathise with Sir Trill, pointing to the long history of artists being left vulnerable by poor logistics. Others argue that promoters are increasingly being dragged publicly for disputes that should be handled privately.
What’s clear is that this saga has once again exposed the fragile trust between artists and promoters, especially during the high-pressure festive season where multiple bookings, handovers, and unclear responsibilities collide.
