Chris Brown Responds to Petition Against His South Africa Concert: ‘Can’t Wait to Come’

Chris Brown is set to perform at Johannesburg’s First National Bank Stadium in South Africa on Dec. 14 and 15, but not without controversy. Despite one of the dates already being sold out, some individuals and groups are opposing the R&B singer’s presence due to his past allegations of abuse.

Women For Change, a South African non-profit organization, launched a petition urging the government to reconsider allowing Brown to perform. Sabina Walter, the organization’s executive director, expressed her disappointment in an interview with the BBC, stating, “The petition was started to send a strong message that we will not tolerate the celebration of individuals with a history of violence against women.” As of now, the petition has amassed over 39,000 signatures, including a surge of 6,500 signatures on Wednesday (Oct. 16).

Brown addressed the backlash on Oct. 15, leaving a brief comment under Women for Change’s TikTok repost: “Can’t wait to come.” Whether this was intended as a jab or a genuine statement remains unclear, but it has since sparked significant online engagement, with over 1,000 replies and 7,000 likes.

These South African shows are part of Brown’s “The 11:11 Tour,” which concluded its North American leg in August. Featuring artists like Ayra Starr and Muni Long on select dates, the tour made stops in cities like Boston, Houston, and Las Vegas.

In conjunction with the tour, Brown released a deluxe version of his 11th studio album, 11:11, which features new tracks such as “Go Girlfriend,” “Delusional,” and “Freak.” The latter track stirred additional controversy due to perceived disses aimed at rapper Quavo, leading to a public exchange of diss tracks between the two.