Johannesburg – Legendary actor Sello Maake kaNcube's legal attempt to compel his ex-wife, Palesa Mboweni, to shoulder half of his debts, amounting to nearly a million rand, and to equally divide her Gauteng property, has been dismissed with costs by the Johannesburg Regional Court.
The court's decision brings an end to a protracted legal dispute that has unfolded eight years after the couple's official divorce on April 21, 2017. The Pretoria High Court had granted them a decree of divorce following the breakdown of their marriage, which KaNcube attributed to Mboweni's alleged actions, including changing the surname of her children from a previous relationship to his without his consent, purportedly to benefit financially from his legacy.
Now, eight years after their divorce, Maake kancube went back to court to seek relief, saying Mboweni gave him a raw deal.
In the application, which Sunday World has seen, he stated that he and his ex-wife were granted a decree of divorce that provided for the equal division of the joint estate.
The former Generations actor said that in the subsistence of their marriage, Mboweni did not disclose her financial records to him.
“I was never aware of how much her source of income or source of funds was; neither did I ever have sight of the assets that she possessed. At the dissolution of our marriage, all known assets and liabilities were meant to be shared between the respondent and me, however, I incurred all of the liabilities solely while the respondent went about her life.
“I have, therefore, now approached this honourable court for an order varying the current decree of divorce as it stands to appoint a liquidator who will dissolve the joint estate, taking into cognisance the assets that had been divided at the time of the dissolution and the liabilities that I ended up with,” he stated in the application, which was submitted to court by Burger Huyser Attorneys.
KaNcube's application sought to vary the original decree of divorce to accurately reflect the assets and liabilities between him and Mboweni. He further requested the appointment of a liquidator to equally distribute the assets, taking into account the liabilities he claimed to have solely incurred.
Some of the debts Maake kancube wanted Mboweni to pay included a R200000 tax bill and a R300000 Eskom bill for his Dube home in Soweto.
The varied decree of divorce should reflect, among others, his Wesbank personal loan of more than R26000, Sanlam personal loan of more than R100000, an Audi Financial Services account owing more than R147000 and a Sars tax bill of about R200 000.
He also stated that the varied decree of divorce should reflect an Eskom electricity bill for his Soweto home, in Dube, owing R300000.
However, the court ultimately dismissed his application, leaving KaNcube responsible for his debts.
This legal battle is not the only tumultuous event in KaNcube's recent personal life.
In 2020 it was reported that The Queen actor Sello Maake Ka Ncube’s 7 baby-mamas were criticized him for marrying another woman.
It was after Maake had taken to his social media accounts and announced he was engaged to girlfriend Pearl Solo Mbewe after dating her briefly. Pearl eventually became his wife and they have since divorced.
According to online sources who spoke to the media in 2020, the actor’s 5 baby-mamas from KwaZulu-Natal and 2 baby-mamas from Gauteng were phoning him and WhatsApping him since he announced his engagement.
It was alleged that his 7 women felt betrayed by him as he’d told them he was not looking for a serious relationship when he dated them.
Maake was apparently in on and off relationships with some of his exes and even owed one of them money.
A source stated at the time: “His phone has been inundated with phone calls and WhatsApp messages of women wanting to know what makes his new fiancée so special.”
The sources also revealed that the actor proposed marriage to his girlfriend three months after dating her in December 2020.
KaNcube told City Press: "I sought to protect myself against the two [women] as they have been constantly attacking me verbally and electronically. Realising that they might seek public sympathy by claiming I am the abusive one, I decided to go to the authorities."
KaNcube and Mbewe were married in a glittering, high-profile ceremony in 2021. Soon after, Mbewe moved in with KaNcube at his house in Dube, Soweto.
But their marriage soon experienced some hiccups, with the couple sometimes fighting in public and through the media.
Amid rumours that they were on the verge of divorce, Mbewe went public, writing on social media in April this year:
How I wish people could just give you a break! In what may seem like me coming to your defence, the truth is that being with you has elevated me to heights I never thought possible.
Mbewe defended KaNcube’s character, following the rumours of divorce and his being allegedly dropped by Budget Insurance as its brand ambassador.
“I will forever love you and your spirit shall and will remain unshaken. YOU ARE A GOOD MAN. Father, son and a sibling.”
Taking to Facebook, the Champions actor re-shared his wife’s post and expressed how the truth would set them free.
“It’s sad how people are so quick to judge!” he wrote.
KaNcube then pointed out that even though he had put on a brave face, the marriage had died a long time ago. He said they had been separated for more than a year.
The actor said: "I’ve given this relationship everything I had. But I have now reached the end of my tether. I want out. And I also want the public to know how I have been abused not only by my ex-wife but also her friend."
KaNcube’s fight with Keswa started after Mbewe, who is also her estranged husband’s publicist, intimated on social media that he was about to be interviewed on Keswa’s popular podcast, My Journey.
“I told her I did not want my brand to be associated with Lebo’s,” he said.
An angry Keswa said yesterday: “What brand has he got? He forgets that it was I who introduced him to Pearl at my wedding. He also forgets how Pearl resuscitated his f**k up career.”
Keswa then shared a message, which she had sent to Mbewe immediately after hearing what KaNcube had said about being associated with Keswa’s brand.
“All I know is that I work with you, so if that’s his definition of not associating with his brand, then I am happy to move on.
“I will not be bullied by Sello; I will not beg you. You guys have taken the misery and f**ked upness of your marriage to another level.”
Keswa said KaNcube had claimed that she was sleeping with his wife, Mbewe.
She said she regretted having rescued him from the numerous financial challenges KaNcube faced.
But KaNcube dismissed the allegations that Keswa had given him a loan of R10 000 as she claimed.
Keswa claimed that she had on numerous occasions seen Mbewe with bruises on her face after KaNcube allegedly attacked her.
She said she had pleaded with Mbewe to keep it under wraps, fearing that, if she went public, the supporters of the famous actor might attack her.
“I was doing this to protect Pearl,” said Keswa. “But now I am done with that. Sello is going to know me. I’m going to tell the world all I know about him and his miserable life.”
She added: "I’ve known Sello for many years, but you’ll note that I’ve never posed with him in a picture. Why? Because, as an activist on gender issues, I don’t want to be associated with a man who abuses women."
Keswa confirmed that she had sent the highly charged messages to KaNcube and yesterday reiterated some of these.
KaNcube said laughingly: “She speaks as if she has slept with me. I have never slept with her; imagine that!”
About Keswa claiming that she had rescued Mbewe from KaNcube who was abusing her, the former Generations actor pointed out that it was Keswa who was known for her violent fits.
He mentioned Keswa’s alleged abuse of her erstwhile wife Letoya Makhene, from whom she was now divorced.
In her podcast, Keswa speaks candidly about her marriage to Makhene, which she claims was toxic.
