Will Doja Cat Finally Meet Her Deadbeat Dad Dumisani Dlamini During Her South African Homecoming?

In August 2025, Doja Cat, the Grammy-winning global sensation, will return to her roots as she headlines the Hey Neighbour Festival in Pretoria, South Africa.

This long-awaited trip marks a significant “homecoming” for the artist, whose father, Dumisani Dlamini, hails from South Africa. But amidst the excitement of her performance, one burning question remains: will she finally confront her estranged father, a man she’s famously never met?

Doja Cat’s relationship with Dumisani has long been a source of public fascination. The South African actor and musician, best known for his role in the 1992 film Sarafina! and his work in the local entertainment scene, has been largely absent from his daughter’s life. And Doja has been unflinching in her public criticism.

In a 2020 interview with Whoopi Goldberg, her Sarafina! co-star, Doja confirmed that she had never met her father. Her resentment spilled over in a fiery social media outburst in May 2024, when she branded him a “deadbeat,” while begrudgingly acknowledging his talents as a dancer and actor.

Will Doja Cat finally meet her deadbeat dad Dumisani Dlamini during her South African homecoming?

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In August 2025, Doja Cat, the Grammy-winning global sensation, will return to her roots as she headlines the Hey Neighbour Festival in Pretoria, South Africa.

This long-awaited… pic.twitter.com/Xjwvrgjy5M

— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) March 28, 2025

It’s a complicated relationship marked by a blend of bitterness and reluctant admiration—one that paints a picture of a daughter who has built an empire without the man who should have been there from the start.

However, Dumisani has a different story to tell. In a 2020 interview on Metro FM, he claimed to have attempted to reach out to Doja multiple times, only to be blocked by her management. He’s often gushed about her success, calling her a “fantastic artist” and expressing his hopes for her to reconnect with her Zulu heritage. Just last year, Dumisani even hinted at a grand gesture, suggesting he had plans to collaborate with the late Mbongeni Ngema to organize a traditional Zulu welcome for Doja upon her return. Yet, as his track record as a father would suggest, these gestures have so far been nothing more than words.

Now, with Doja’s highly anticipated trip to South Africa on the horizon, the question remains: will Dumisani step up? Fans and media alike are buzzing with speculation, some claiming he’s planning a reunion, while others doubt he’ll even get past Doja’s inner circle.

But Doja herself has remained silent on the matter, fueling the mystery. Given her immense success without his involvement, one can’t help but wonder: after all these years, is she even open to the idea of meeting the man who has been absent from her life for so long?