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*A promoter for the South African concert that was to feature Ashanti Saturday spoke out about her family’s profound grief following the sudden death of the singer’s cousin by a drunk driver.
"It has been very traumatic. They are not coping at all," promoter Morris Roda was quoted as saying.
Monday evening, the singer flew the body of her cousin, 20-year-old Quinshae Snead, from Johannesburg back to the United States. They had been in the country for only 36 hours when the incident happened.
Snead was backstage with Ashanti ahead of the Redd's Divas Concert at the Coca-Cola Dome, where the 25-year-old songstress was to perform on a bill that featured Lauryn Hill, Regina Belle and several local female artists. According to The Star newspaper, Snead offered to drive back to their hotel and retrieve some forgotten items that Ashanti wanted for the concert.
En route to the hotel, Snead’s vehicle was struck from behind by a 17-year-old driver who had stolen his mother's car and was driving drunk without a license. Snead was flung from the vehicle and into the path of an oncoming car. Ashanti’s bodyguard, Steven Arendse, was driving the car that carried Snead. He was also thrown from the vehicle and hospitalized, but is expected to recover.
Johannesburg metro police spokesman, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minaar, told SAFM radio on Monday that the 17-year-old had been arrested, charged with driving drunk without a license and was due shortly in court. He is also under investigation for a homicide charge.
Ashanti’s parents, sister and brother had also accompanied her to South Africa.
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