The Cape Town DJ and radio presenter accused of having an affair after dumping his sick wife, has spoken out a week after he was outed on social media.
DJ Luwayne Wonder, real name Luwayne Bouwers, made headlines in 2020, when he sent an urgent plea to listeners via his Facebook page.
The 37-year-old dad of three was exposed by his wife Crystal Pretorius, who took to Facebook to air her husband’s secret affair.
Pretorius told IOL Entertainment that she only opted to share the secret after he publicly flaunted his new partner on social media.
Pretorius has been left paralysed on her right side after suffering brain damage caused by a haemorrhage while they were living in Dubai, in 2020.
The DJ took to social media to ask his friends and followers to help him raise R500 000 to bring Pretorius back to South Africa.
Pretorius said last week that Bouwers had dumped her soon after she was discharged from hospital, a few months after arriving back in SA.
Bouwers has now broken his silence about the claims Pretorius made against him.
In a statement posted on his Luwayne Wonder Facebook page by his media manager, M Titus, the post states: “Over the past couple of days, I’ve been subjected to extreme scrutiny, threats, rumours and allegations made about myself. Fabrications of damaging allegations, which are false, malicious and hurtful.
“Allegations pertaining to this matter is affecting various parties, which include: My three minor children, my family, my partner, as well as her minor child and her family, pertaining to a matter which was already sensitive to all parties.
“Due to me being a public figure as a DJ and radio host, it is my duty to respond and provide transparency on the above-mentioned matter.
“I have provided a timeline, pertaining to the relevant allegations as well as providing transparency during the time I was the primary caregiver, whilst myself, Crystal and our children were still living together in my mom and stepfather’s house.
“I hope that this provides clarity on the matter. By putting on record that I still reside at my mother and stepfather’s house, whilst Crystal has moved out and has been residing with her family – which will be addressed in detail, in this media release.
“Therefore the allegations in respect of Crystal Lynn Pretorius’s Facebook post – ‘A whole married man’ – is simply not true.”
The statement goes on to list events and dates gathered from his Facebook posts:
TIMELINE: October 2020 to Present
1. 29 October 2020 – (Reference, Facebook LuWayne Wonder) I recorded a video detailing urgent help that was needed to repatriate Crystal back to South Africa, after she suffered a stroke on the 5th October 2020.
2. 22 November 2020 – (Reference, across all media platforms) The “Bring The Bouwers Back” crowdfunding online event was hosted due to the overwhelming support our family received from the public as a whole, Back-A-Buddy, family, media platforms, friends, colleagues in the DJ fraternity and radio stations as well.
I successfully and thankfully managed to reach the goal.
3. 9 December 2020 – Crystal arrived in Cape Town, South Africa still sedated via medical air ambulance … and was transported via ambulance with medical team and admitted to Tygerberg Hospital immediately. Cost approximately R265 000.
4. 11 December 2020 – I, together with our three daughters arrived in Cape Town, South Africa where we moved into my parents home 48 hours after Crystal arrived. Cost approximately R53 000 excluding bank charges.
5. 21 December 2020 – (Reference, various news publications) A second-hand 2012 Audi A4 Avant station wagon was purchased. A vehicle that would be able to comfortably transport Crystal, our daughters, a wheelchair and a baby seat for our infant daughter.
Prior to this my children and I had no vehicle to get around. I had no option but to buy a vehicle. Cost approximately R140 000.
6. 26 January 2021 – (Reference, Facebook LuWayne Wonder) I recorded a video in the above-mentioned vehicle and was able to update the public on the following: That her physiotherapist had called me with the good news, informing me that Crystal was going to be discharged from Tygerberg Hospital and transferred and admitted to The Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre.
I thanked the hospital staff for the amazing care they provided for Crystal and as well thanked the public for the unwavering support and mentioning how hopeful we felt about the next step in Crystal’s recovery at the rehabilitation facility.
7. 10 March 2021 – ( Reference, Facebook LuWayne Wonder) This was the second video I recorded in the same vehicle in the parking lot of the Western Cape Rehabilitation facility.
It was an emotional day for myself and loved ones and I was able to update the public on the following: I received good reports from the Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech Therapist and Case Worker based at the rehab centre and well received that Crystal would be officially discharged from the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre on the 7th May 2021.
8. 7 May 2021 – I fetched Crystal from the rehab centre in our second-hand Audi. Do bear in mind that this was the first time in months that Crystal finally wasn’t in hospital anymore.
I asked Crystal if she liked the car that I purchased for us and our daughters, Crystal responded by saying “Wow! Yes I do”. I knew that Crystal liked flashy cars as the ones we drove in Dubai, UAE and wanted to surprise her with a vehicle she would be able to enjoy with our daughters.
The allegations surrounding the second-hand Audi is false, as the vehicle was purchased to accommodate Crystal, our children, wheelchair and car seat.
9. 27 July 2021 – Crystal celebrated her birthday on the 26th July and I surprised her with a one-night stay at a luxury hotel in the CBD to celebrate her special day.
10. May 2021 to February 2022 – Myself and Crystal lived with my parents, along with our children in a home which my parents rearranged in order to accommodate her and her wheelchair, since arriving back in Cape Town in December 2020.
During this time we all needed to adjust to a new life having my disabled wife and Mother to our children live with. Throughout this time I was a Husband, Caregiver, Father to our children, provider and son.
Regular monthly medication runs, GP visits due to respiratory complications, hospital emergencies due to seizures, medication allergic reactions, speech therapy sessions, physiotherapy sessions, including appointments to neuro specialists at Tygerberg Hospital. I was sad, I grieved my old life with Crystal and was depressed as well.
We were no longer compatible, as life was taxing on both of us, our kids and family during the period we lived together in my parents house. Crystal felt she was a burden in our marriage and that left us incompatible. Life moved and work during the December festive season got busier for me as a DJ.
I needed to work as much as possible, as the crowd funded money we were blessed with, was not going to sustain us forever.
The discussions around a divorce happened between Crystal and myself. It was evident that it was approaching and that our union was over. Life was no longer normal. Monthly cost approximately R10 000 per month.
11. February 2022 – Crystal, upon discussing with myself and our families, made a mutual decision to leave the household and move in with her family.
One afternoon, her family fetched her at her own will and left shortly thereafter. Crystal was never told to leave the household.
12. After myself and Crystal separated, her seizures slowed down. Months after the separation I met my now partner. By this time, Crystal and I were not a “whole married” couple (Reference, Facebook Crystal Lynn Pretorius )
There were no months long affair as alleged. Our marriage was over long before I met my now partner. I told Crystal that I was seeing someone and that I am happy. She was well aware.
13. 12 October 2022 to date Crystal made the allegations using Facebook and other media publications. I know that Crystal is unable to publish such information on her own due to the brain damage from the stroke.
Based on my experience of what her capabilities are she had to have had assistance.
The statement concluded by saying that Bouwers has made his relationship known to Pretorius and told her that he was happy.
It reads: “Due to being unemployed upon our return to South Africa, we needed to cover the following: daily living expenses, school fees, medication, Tygerberg Hospital fees, private GP visits when Crystal fell ill, food, fuel, diapers, toiletries, clothing for our daughters, bigger sneakers for Crystal to cover the AFO on her right foot.
“The sneakers alleged to have been bought for myself here in South Africa is simply not true. The sneakers I owned was purchased in Dubai while living there with my wife and children and not with the funds raised.
“I do hope that providing a timeline from 2020 to date can clarify the false allegations made against me. During the past two years we’ve experienced a multitude of incidents.
“Despite our best efforts to absorb the changes in motion, the emotional burden and post traumatic distress and Crystal's decision to separate and move out of the home we shared with my parents, the loss outweighed our will.
“My focus and priority will be our three beautiful girls and respectfully ask that we are allowed to go through our private processes without dragging ourselves, families, loved ones, children, friends, employer into baseless rumours and social media sensationalism. I am also highly disappointed in people that is allegedly manipulating Crystal.”
IOL Entertainment reached out to Pretorius for a comment.
She said: "Luwayne is very selective in his timeline, he fails to mention his affair in 2021.
“Regarding the funds raised, I don't dispute the money he potentially spent to get me home, what he is not saying is the amount that was generated via back-a-buddy, the direct deposits made from family and friends.
“Yes, I felt like a burden, he made me feel that way. He made living there unbearable."
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