{"id":35681,"date":"2026-01-05T17:04:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T15:04:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yfm.co.za\/devworld\/?p=35681"},"modified":"2026-01-09T17:05:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:05:26","slug":"2025-in-review-court-battles-controversies-and-celebrity-fallouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yfm.co.za\/devworld\/2026\/01\/05\/2025-in-review-court-battles-controversies-and-celebrity-fallouts\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 in Review: Court battles, controversies and celebrity fallouts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo credit: X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Black Coffee and Mbali Mlotshwa: A divorce played out in court<\/p>\n

One of the most closely watched celebrity legal battles of 2025 has been the ongoing divorce dispute between internationally acclaimed DJ Nkosinathi “Black Coffee” Maphumulo and his estranged wife, Mbali Mlotshwa.<\/p>\n

In a major development, the Supreme Court of Appeal granted Black Coffee leave to challenge an October 2025 High Court ruling that upheld the validity of his customary marriage to Mlotshwa. The Johannesburg High Court had found that the couple entered into a customary marriage in 2011, which was in community of property, and ruled that their civil marriage, concluded six years later, was legally void.<\/p>\n

Under the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act of 1998, customary marriages are recognised as valid and are automatically in community of property unless excluded through a pre-marital contract.<\/p>\n

At the centre of the legal dispute are the couple\u2019s two sons, with custody and financial support forming a key part of the proceedings. Black Coffee is contesting the High Court\u2019s findings, arguing that there was no factual basis for the spousal maintenance order and disputing claims that the couple had agreed to a customary marriage.<\/p>\n

He has further argued that entitlement to maintenance must be proven before such an order can be made.<\/p>\n

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Hands up to Enhle-Mbali Mlotshwa celebrates her divorce being finalized to Black Coffee.<\/p>\n

Enhle-Mbali Mlotshwa walks away with half of Black Coffee’s assets since they were married in community of property. pic.twitter.com\/5PcSbjg8pp<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Find The Missing (@_findthemissing) October 11, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n