Twitter (Pretty Yende)
The South African Government says it has noted with concern how acclaimed international opera singer, Pretty Yende, was treated at the Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris, France, on Monday.
This comes after French police at the airport allegedly detained Yenda for almost three hours based on claims that her Italian residence permit was invalid.
The soprano took to Instagram to share about the “police brutality” she experienced at the hands of law enforcement.
According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the South African Embassy in Paris has since written to French authorities seeking an explanation and thorough investigation into the matter.
The 36-year-old singer who was born in Piet Retief in Mpumalanga, claims that the officials also took all her belongings, including her cell phone, and threatened her.
“It was cold in there and they left me there alone with the landline phone and a piece of paper they gave me to write down phone numbers of those I could call. Most of them refused to address me in English. There were more than 10 police officers I could hear talking and laughing down the hallway.”
The singer said she has a regular residence permit, which allows her to “circulate” outside the Italian territory and valid until 20 September, and indicates that it is issued for self-employment.
“Ms Yende informed the South African Embassy in Paris that she was verbally abused by the police and her rights and dignity were violated during the ordeal,” the department said on Thursday.
