Black Coffee Buys R157 Million Clifton Mansion, Setting New Property Record – (PHOTOS)

Black Coffee Buys R157 Million Clifton Mansion, Setting New Property Record

Grammy Award-winning DJ Nkosinathi Maphumulo, known globally as Black Coffee, is the new owner of a R157 million architectural masterpiece in Cape Town's exclusive Clifton area. The property, located on Nettleton Road – considered the most expensive street in South Africa – marks the highest-priced property deal closed this year, according to estate agents.

News24 can confirm that a company, with Maphumulo listed as the sole director, purchased the R157 million home at 5 Nettleton Road, known as "The Pentagon," earlier this year, making him the latest resident of Cape Town’s prestigious "millionaires’ mile."

The news arrives just a week after Black Coffee's divorce from actress and fashion designer Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa was finalised. The couple's split in 2019 led to a protracted and public dispute lasting over half a decade. Mlotshwa confirmed the divorce on Instagram, announcing she was officially "Miss Mlotshwa."

Designed by world-renowned architect Stefan Antoni, The Pentagon boasts breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and the iconic Twelve Apostles mountain range. The luxurious property includes a cinema, gym, and a vast deck featuring a rim-flow pool. Five en-suite bedrooms, each offering sweeping views and a private balcony, are accessible by lift. The residence also offers parking bays for five cars and two self-contained staff quarters.

Estate agent Lance Cohen, owner of Lance Real Estate, confirmed the sale, noting that the property had been on the market for some time and was sold R3 million below the initial asking price of R160 million.

Publicly available Deeds Office records, obtained by News24, show that the property was purchased by Little Ark Holdings, with the musician listed as a director. Black Coffee’s publicist, Kim Sineke, declined to comment, citing the DJ's desire to maintain a "quiet personal and business life" and "as much privacy as possible."

Black Coffee already owns several other properties in Johannesburg and Pretoria, with a conservative total value of around R30 million. Public records indicate that no bond has been registered for the property yet, leaving it unclear whether the purchase was made with cash.

Deeds Office records reveal that The Pentagon property has changed hands seven times since 1980. Prior to 2007, its value was less than R10 million, breaching that mark when it was sold as an empty lot for R13.5 million. Construction began a year later and was completed in 2011. In 2015, the house was sold to a company owned by Danny Mackay for R100 million.

Mackay’s son, Jehan Mackay, a former executive of IT group EOH and a director until 2019, was previously embroiled in a scandal with former ANC MP Zizi Kodwa, leading to corruption charges against the pair. The charges were later withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) after successful representations to the NPA’s Johannesburg prosecutions head, Andrew Chauke, who has since been suspended pending an inquiry into his fitness to hold office.

Nettleton Road is considered the most expensive street in South Africa, and possibly in all of Africa. House prices on the stretch range from R90 million to the most recent R160 million sale. In June of last year, an undeveloped piece of land on Nettleton Road went on the market, with real estate agents estimating construction costs to be around R75 million.

Cohen noted that property on Nettleton Road has become increasingly sought after by South Africa’s rich and famous, driven by the spectacular views and the status the address provides. "You’ve got very wealthy and well-known people – and some of them more famous than Black Coffee – that want to buy in that road," he said.

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Cohen added that while homes in the area do change hands, demand far outstrips supply. "There are only around 40 homes in Nettleton Road. The demand for high-end residential real estate in Cape Town far outweighs supply right now. We are definitely in a seller’s market, and there is a buying frenzy," he explained.

The market is influenced by seasonal holidaymakers and returning expats. "The lifestyle is unsurpassed, and Cape Town, relative to a lot of European cities, is a very safe city. There is a big shortage of beautiful homes, and then there’s a massive shortage of older homes that can be demolished and developed into beautiful new homes. Land comes at an exceptional premium," Cohen concluded.