South Africa and Die Antwoord fans are currently grappling with a story and allegations that are not only deeply disturbing but heartbreaking.
*Trigger warning: this article contains disturbing descriptions of abuse, rituals and other violent instances.
In an interview with Ben Jay Crossman (Die Antwoord’s ‘secret artist’), the adopted son of the duo Waddy Jones (Ninja) and Anri du Toit (Yolandi), Gabriel “Tokkie” du Preez shared his experience of being “raised” by Die Antwoord.
Tokkie’s interview expresses pain, psychological abuse, neglect, being involved in rituals, exposure to pornography, grooming, and indoctrination to think he was the devil in an all-encompassing education he describes as “violent”.
Here is a breakdown of Tokkie’s interview and allegations against Die Antwoord:
Tokkie became acquainted with Crossman, who photographed his family, when they were living in Verdedorp, Johannesburg. Die Antwoord reportedly saw Crossman’s photographs, and wanted to involve the young boy in their music and music videos – a promising setting for a child growing up in underprivileged circumstances.
When asked why he was chosen over his brother, Tokkie says that it was because of his unique looks. He suffers from hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, giving him an appearance that Die Antwoord would reportedly exploit as part of their image.
Ninja and Anri became his adoptive parents, and allegedly lured him into a life primed with unsavoury experiences – especially for a child. He says that he was then encouraged by his biological mother to let the musicians take care of him in pursuit of a better life.
Tokkie, who is now 20, explains that one of the first experiences that messed with his mind was when he stabbed his brother (he says he was encouraged by the duo to “stand up” and do whatever he wants because he was made to believe he was the devil). He was praised for the stabbing, and Die Antwoord even based a music video on the traumatic event.
He was further made to believe that he could burn people in hell. Demonic threats made on phone calls were also something Tokkie was told to do, as he expresses.
In the interview, Tokkie describes ritualistic events. He explains times that both he and his sister Meise were taken to “hospitals” where blood was drawn from them. In one “ritual” Tokkie describes that he had an upside-down cross drawn on his forehead.
Of his sister, Tokkie explains events that saw both of them being encouraged to wear only underwear for certain happenings, and that Meisie was nudged to change in front of Ninja multiple times. Tokkie explains that there were often sex toys around and that Yolandi’s naked body was not an uncommon sight.
Tokkie was also groomed to be around gangsters and even attended a weapon training camp with all types of weapons, or “all the guns you can get”, as per his interview. He shot every one of them, too. People in attendance were allegedly him and his brother as well as Cape Town gangsters. Tokkie recalls that he formed a close friendship with one of the gang leaders, something in retrospect he believes was not ideal for a kid.
Of drug abuse, he explains that he was given weed and mushrooms, but was constantly surrounded by people abusing other hard drugs.
Tokkie questions a different path in the interview: “If I never met Die Antwoord, how would my life actually have been like?”.
Of the neglect he experienced, Tokkie notes that he was invited to move to Los Angeles, but didn’t want to be away from his family. He then ended up living in Parkhurst for two years with a babysitter, as he recalls.
Crossman, speaking to News24, expresses regret for “not speaking out earlier” of what he knew about Tokkie’s situation. He has reportedly deposed a sworn affidavit and is willing to testify against Ninja and Yolandi. Crossman blames getting “caught up in the light” and hype as what blinded him toward what was really going on.
Tokkie portrays concern about his sister, who despite living full time with another family, is at risk of being groomed the same way Tokkie was by Ninja and Yolandi, he believes. Meisie is 14-years-old.
The duo’s former “kid” expresses that he isn’t a hater of Die Antwoord, whom he hasn’t seen for two years.
“I used to be their kid, but that all changed because of what they did,” he says.
When asked about the darkest moments of his childhood, Tokkie remembers the fear of thinking that his “own adoptive parents could’ve killed [him]”.
He’s asked what advice he would give to his younger self and notes that he’d probably beat himself up and warn him to get out of there.
He and his brother are attempting to make a better life for their sister by cleaning up the home their mother left Meisie. Tokkie posts on social media about the home’s cleanup, and receives donations from people, too.
In his future, Tokkie’s dreams are to be a model and a successful actor.
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Picture: zef_house / Instagram
