he stole money from me he was insecure i wanted to die

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EDITORIAL TEAM
JOHANNESBURG 011-322-0877
CONTENTS
15 AUGUST 2013 # 085
Editor-in-chief Izelle Venter
Editor
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Cover stories
ARTICLES
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
86
87
88
90
92
96
98
100
Winnie Modise opens up
Mbali’s brave cancer battle
Why Zim exiles didn’t vote
Qunu vs Mvezo
Khanyi Dhlomo’s loan controversy
Mo & Mome’s baby love
Q&A with Vuyolwethu
A whopping 6.1 kg baby!
My Story: Tribute to my parents
Frank Chikane
Tragedy strikes Rockville
At home with the Gauteng premier
Twins with a rare skin disorder
Gauteng’s sport entrepreneur
New Springbok Siya Kolisi
All Rights Reserved
Made of paper awarded the European
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supplied by UPM.
100
96
ENTERTAINMENT
51
52
Soapwatch
TV Guide
CELEB WATCH
6
54
102
104
106
Snapped
Poster: Dumi Masilela
Celebrity News
Showbuzz
Stylebuzz
betterlife
FICTION
62 The Perfect Couch
REGULARS
4
59
60
61
66
84
Letters
Games, winners and solutions
Picture Puzzle
15 Questions
Your Stars
Good Laughs
DRUM RAD
69
70
71
72
74
Crush of the week: Lady Gaga
Uncovered: flying solo
Spotlight: Hollywood’s hot singles
Shisa: pack a punch!
Quiz: are you geek chic?
FOR THE KIDS
76
80
82
83
Classroom: grapes & how wine is made
Grade 11: ethics in business
Supa Strikas
Kids’ games
ENQUIRIES
©
8
MAGGIE LAGANPARSAD
Online journalists
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Nontsikelelo Mpulo
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fashion@drum.co.za, Kwena
Baloyi (assistant), Kelebogile Foko
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34
44
28 Fashion: bright & bold
30 Fabulous: tribal vs slick
32 Beauty: hair SOS!
34 Food: curry in a hurry
38 Décor: stylish elegance
40 Ask Dr Nomteto,
Sis Dolly and Bra Mo
42 Health snippets
44 Advice: get fit and healthy
thy
46 Business with Nono
48 Entrepreneurs: get your
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61
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ED’S NOTE LETTERS
T
HE Vavi sex scandal has come and
gone, and as usual, Mzansi’s brief
cycle of outrage has exhausted itself
and we’re forging ahead as if it never
happened. Literally overnight, we
went from *smh* and *disgusted*
on Twitter to making derogotory comments
about the accuser, judging her and calling her
names.
As for Vavi himself, some analysts predict
he can and possibly will bounce back from his
disappointing, inappropriate behaviour and
carry on at Cosatu House as before. If there is
going to be a sanction against him, they say it
will be influenced by the fact that he admitted
to having had an inappropriate relationship with
a junior colleague, and that he might not have
followed proper procedure when hiring her.
Others have gone as far as to suggest that Vavi
was set up by his detractors, and he will be able
to convince his comrades that his affair with
a much younger, married woman was a political
plot. Using Twitter, Vavi took it upon himself to
let us know that only two hours into the internal
grievance procedure, his accuser had dropped her charge. The following
day the newspaper headlines read: “I’m going nowhere.”
While he has now apologised for embarrassing his family and
disappointing South Africans, we’re wondering if this is enough.
The one person, however, whose life will almost certainly take a turn
for the worst is his former rape accuser and colleague. Her life and that
of her family will never be the same again. After being lured by Vavi into
a job at Cosatu, her career prospects now look gloomy given that she will
now be “tagged” as his accuser.
Even if she stays at Cosatu, waking up and going to work every day
will be torturous to say the least. It’s just not fair that he gets to move on
with his life as it was while a young woman’s life is in ruins thanks to him.
The main reason our leaders continue to let us down is because the
bigger our outrage over their scandalous behaviour, the greater their
reward. We voted Jacob Zuma into power straight after he was acquitted
of raping a woman young enough to be his daughter (notwithstanding
the corruption charges against him that still loom large) and now Zwelinzima Vavi gets to continue to lead the largest union federation even after
inappropriately hiring a woman and then having sex with her at work.
Our moral expectations and standards when it comes to people in
leadership are regressive. Enjoy this week’s DRUM.
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15 August 2013
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WHY THEY
DIDN’T
GO HOME
TO VOTE
EXCLUSIVE
K
HOCK
SHOC
ISE DIVORCE
WINNIE MOD
E AND
THE THREATS, ABUS
PT
SUICIDE ATTEM
NEY
‘HE STOLE MO
FROM ME’
RE‘
‘HE WAS INSECU
DIE’
UMULO
‘I WANTED TO
MBALI MAPH G HER
Website: www.drum.co.za
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15 AUGUST 2013
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LEAD BY EXAMPLE
I
N THE light of Zwelinzima Vavi’s sex’s scandal
(Self-imposed pain, 8 August), I think it’s high time that
adults start promoting the culture of moral regeneration.
It’s shocking and disgusting to see adults
engaging in immoral activities such as
Adults
extra-marital affairs. How are you going
to encourage young people to be faithful to
must
one partner when you fail to do so yourself?
encourage
If we can walk the talk and live exemplary
moral
lifestyles, then most social ills in our country
will be a thing of the past.
behaviour
NELSON KHUMALO, TEMBISA
It’s high time that leaders practise
what they preach because the youth
look up to them as role models.
Not so long ago, Cosatu general
secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was
talking about safe sex at an Aids
conference. Now isn’t it surprising
that the same man has confessed
to having had an extra-marital affair and found himself embroiled in
a sex scandal?
Whether he had consensual sex
or not, the fact is that he betrayed
his wife and let down his followers
– he should be ashamed of himself.
We’re sick and tired of leaders and
celebrities preaching faithfulness to
the public while they’re doing the
exact opposite.
BONGANI MGUBELA, DIEPKLOOF
WOMEN MUST UNITE
While it’s true that men need to
acknowledge our worth as women,
love and respect us and stand up
against abuse, ultimately the buck
stops with us when it comes to
bringing about change in our lives.
We expect change to come from
men but women need to respect
themselves enough to stand up
against abuse, speak to and support
each other and educate ourselves
when it comes to our rights.
You can’t oppress someone who
doesn’t want to be oppressed. It’s
time we, as women, stood up for
ourselves and other women, starting this month, which is Women’s
Month.
SH, E-MAIL
It’s about time we acknowledge
and cherish the good things that
women do for others, especially
mothers who give selflessly. Think
about the 1956 women’s march to
the Union Buildings to fight for our
freedom.
Big ups to people like Dr
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka who
are making the country proud by
occupying some of the hottest seats
in the world.
It’s also about time we acknowledged Criselda Kananda and
especially Graça Machel for being strong despite the difficult
situation she’s in with her husband
being critically ill. Happy Women’s
Month! We love you.
MPHAHLELE MELATO, ZEBEDIELA
LEAVE DISCIPLINE TO
PARENTS
I was disheartened and appalled to
hear the government has banned
parents from spanking their children in their own homes. Can you
imagine a parent being jailed for
punishing their own children?
We are aware that excessive punishment can amount to abuse, even
Many Zimbabweans living
in SA did not vote
in the election.
Should they be
more actively
involved in their
country’s politics?
Do you agree
YES or NO?
Q
HAVE YOUR SAY
To vote on your cellphone go to
our mobisite by typing m.drum.
co.za on your browser from
a WAP-enabled phone. Or at a
once-off cost of R1, SMS the word
MOBI and your name to 32113
and we’ll send you the link to the
site. Find the poll on the mobi
homepage and select Yes or No.
Many commentators criticised the
blanket coverage of the British royal
baby’s birth as shallow. Do you
agree? YES or NO?
YES 55 %
NO 45 %
Education to end violence against women
can help to promote even greater equality
MAKGABO MORRIS, PRETORIA
by a parent towards their own child,
and that can be a criminal offence.
However, taking away the right
to discipline one’s own child is
equivalent to relinquishing a parent’s scriptural and civic responsibility towards their own offspring.
Many of us are alive today
because of the corporal discipline
we received from our parents. As
we look back on our childhood we
will be forever grateful for their loving discipline and guidance that has
spared us so much misery in this
morally degraded world that we
live in.
A direct ban on smacking would
be difficult to enforce and would
unnecessarily drain police resources
on dealing with trivial complaints,
whilst genuine child abusers
continue to harm innocent victims.
JK, E-MAIL
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
On Mandela Day, the DRUM team
really did make a difference, putting
smiles on the faces of orphaned
and physically and mentally disabled children at Katlego Home in
Evaton and Tshepong Home in
Sebokeng (Memorable Madiba
Day, 1 August).
We need to make every day a
Madiba day.
STREET TALK
Is it fair that Khanyi Dhlomo was
granted a R34-million loan by the
National Empowerment Fund to
open a new luxury boutique?
GALLO IMAGES/CITY PRESS/MUNTU VILAKAZI
XYLONA PAGE, NATURENA NO
XYL
The Empowerment Fund is there to empower those
who are unable to do much financially. She used her
position and connections to influence the decision.
Someone else without the reputation and connections
she has would be second-guessed before they’d
be assisted by the Empowerment Fund.
PALESA MOKOENA, HOUGHTON NO
There are so many other projects that money could
have boosted. She opened a boutique for a very small
market which can afford the expensive clothes. Those
who can’t afford her clothing could have benefited a
lot, through feeding schemes or shelters for street kids.
Only the rich will reap rewards from this.
TEBOHO SEKOBOTO, OAKLAND NO
South Africa has made it acceptable for prominent
people to misuse funds that are supposed to build this
country. Look at the President as well. When they are
granted, a very small percentage of those loans will
be used for people who are in need, and the rest will
go towards personal things.
There are people who need to
be loved and cared for out there.
It really touched me, and made me
question what I am doing to help
other people who need help.
Watching DRUM editor
Makhosazana Zwane-Siguqa
playing with Refiloe, whose mom
passed away and has a growth
deficiency, touched me. Thumbs
up to the DRUM team!
SUCCESS MTHOMBENI, BEREA NO
It’s not fair at all. The boutique won’t be helping many
people, even though that’s what that money was meant
for. She will be empowering herself and her fellow rich
people. The rich get richer. They need to understand
poverty so that they understand the imbalance they
bring to society.
BARBARA FOX, ALEXANDRA
ZEE KHANYILE YES
Very fair. I heard her interviewed on radio and
she made a valid point: that it’s difficult for black
businesswomen to get loans from banks. And it’s
not like she won’t be paying it back. People need
to stop hating.
ZIMBABWEAN ELECTION
Going to the polls in Zimbabwe is
a waste of time because it is a oneparty state and Robert Mugabe will
be victorious.
The country will never be free as
long as citizens still flee their country instead of fixing their problems.
Zimbabweans are scattered all
over the world. Is this a sign of cowardice? You can’t brag about your
country when you do nothing for it
or about it.
Even if Mugabe died tomorrow,
there’ll be some Bob Jnr to take
over. Poor Morgan Tsvangirai has
called upon the people to unite, to
come back home to fight for their
freedom – but instead they give it
away to Mugabe unopposed.
MANDLA TSHABALALA, PROTEA
GLEN
FIND US AT WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HOME.PHP/DRUMMAGAZINE
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BABRA FOX YES
There are a lot of opportunities. Just go to school and
do your research. Khanyi did hers and that’s why she
took a loan and knows how she’s going to repay the
money. Let’s just be happy for her. We need to stop
complaining and ask for advice.
SAKHILE WYTE JR YES
When are black South Africans going to be happy
for another person’s success? Yes, the money could’ve
gone to the poor, but they get money every day. When
a black person is granted money to start a business to
carve a bright future, black people start hating.
NKOSINATHI NKABINDE NO Khanyi should distance herself from potentially corrupt
politicians and return the loan. She’s worked her way
up without questionable money from government. The
way in which the loan was approved by the wife of
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who is the current
[chief executive] of the NEF, is questionable.
www.drum.co.za
15 AUGUST 2013
|5
Snapped
PICTURES: PAPI MORAKE
ABOVE: Thula packs his bag
for London. BELOW: Thula
and seamstress Lizzy
Mabaso consult over a
garment.
TAKING SA
STYLE ABROAD
F
ASHION designer THULA
SINDI is a perfect example
of why looks can be
deceiving. The tall, slender
designer may be surrounded
by delicate lace and luxurious
cottons when making garments
for glamorous fashion shows, but
in his spare time he likes to get his
hands dirty fixing cars.
“When I was young my dad
would fix cars and I learnt from
him, so since getting my first car
four years back I’ve bought two
others to fix. I enjoy shopping
for parts and negotiating with
the car dealers,” Thula says with
pride. And though Thula is also
an expert pool player, his real
passion is for fashion.
During his first trip to London
recently, Thula showed off the
best of SA fashion at Africa
Fashion Week London. The annual
UK festival of fashion shows off
Africa’s rich ethnic culture and its
interpretation into contemporary
designs and being invited to
participate is a huge honour. The
collection is a mixture of his new
spring collection as well as what’s
in SA stores right now. Thula’s
exquisitely crafted, dynamic and
sophisticated creations were
very well received.
On his return from London Thula
will showcase his spring collection
at Fashion Week in Cape Town,
featuring accessories by Ephraim
Molingoana of Ephymol. And if
you thought Mzansi’s top designers were fierce rivals, think again.
“You’d be surprised,” Thula told
us when we met him just before
he left for the UK. “Ephraim, David
[Tlale] and I all get on very well
and we even refer clients to each
other. There’s no time for enemies
in this industry because you may
be up now, but you could need
help later.” Clearly our hottest
designers have embraced the spirit
of ubuntu – and they do it in style.
– EMMA LIWELA
LEFT: And he’s off!
Thula is packed
and ready to
take Africa
Fashion Week
London by storm.
RIGHT: Ephraim
Molingoana of
Ephymol and
Thula have joined
forces on a new
collection. ABOVE
RIGHT: Thula
with seamstress
Rachel Magonono.
ABOVE:
Fashion
designer
Thula Sindi is
excited about
his first trip to
London.
Snapped
CELEB
TWEETS
TS
T
S
Check out what
FAR LEFT: Joan Madibeng was a source of inspiration for young women at a high tea recently held in Joburg. RIGHT: Aspiring artist
Thabang Ledwaba, who serenaded the ladies with his unique sound, chats to Joan.
LEFT: the former Miss SA poses for a photograph with one of her guests.
some of Mzansi’s
celebs had to say
in cyberspace . . .
SIKHULULO MALIWA
@LuloCafe
Nothing more annoying than friends/
partner that call you
about petty gossip
. . . I dismiss you back
to your source . . .
‘TAKE CHARGE, LADIES’
I
T’S always great to see South
Africa’s influential women inspiring
other young women. To celebrate
Women’s Month, businesswoman
and former Miss South Africa JOAN
MADIBENG held an intimate high tea
at 54 on Bath hotel in Johannesburg.
She used the event to urge young
women to unite and take charge of
their futures.
“As women, we need to ask ourselves
what we can do together to improve
our situations and our country. We
can’t always wait to see what the
government will do,” she said.
Joan’s husband JEFF MADIBENG
was one of the few men at the event
and couldn’t help but openly show his
affection for his gorgeous, smart wife.
“Everybody should close their eyes
now,” he warned jokingly as he kissed
her proudly on his arrival.
The event was not attended by a
large number of celebrities and highprofile people and it was refreshing
to see Joan mingling with the young
people who clearly look up to her.
One of Joan’s latest ventures is
discovering new talent in the entertainment industry. “It’s important to nurture
young people in the townships,” she
said. “When I was growing up, no
one was there to do that for me,” she
told DRUM. – NANDIPHA PANTSI
SIZWE DHLOMO
@Sizwe Dhlomo
Some of these “Inspirational” quotes
though . . . Really?
The difference
between “try” &
“triumph” is umph?
AKA
@akaworldwide
As much as i like
luxury goods . . . I
for one will NOT be
copping any gear at
Luminance.
BOITUMELO THULO
@Boity
You teach people
how to treat you.
SIYA “SLIKOUR”
METANE
@Slikour
Boys make easy
choices to keep their
boys, men make hard
decisions and walk
alone. #slikouronlife
LEFT: Aspiring artists Francise Motsepe
and Bongiswa Kotta-Ramushwana get
to know Joan better. ABOVE:
ABOVE: Power FM’s Masechaba Lekalake also attended the event.
RIGHT: Joan and her husband, Jeff
Madibeng, share a kiss.
www.drum.co.za
15 AUGUST 2013
|7
Exclusive
I FEEL SO
BETRAYED
Winnie Modise has tried to maintain a dignified
silence but the allegations by her estranged
husband have forced her to speak out
T
HE change in her mood is instant.
As soon as we’re alone, it only takes
a second for her wide smile and
bright eyes to vanish.Tears roll down
her cheeks and heart-wrenching
sobs shake her body.
Winnie Modise (37) is a woman in pain.
Today, for the first time, she’s sharing the truth
about her failed seven-year marriage to SABC
cameraman Thabo Modise.
“I hate discussing my personal life with the
media but I have to address the lies that are being
told about me. It hurts so much that my relationship with Thabo has got to the point that he’s
spreading nasty rumours,” she says emotionally.
“That he would try to hurt me in this manner, by discussing our private life so publicly,
has just destroyed me. This is why I have to
DINO CODEVILLA
speak out – my silence is killing me and my
reputation has been destroyed.”
Winnie believes that Thabo is spreading rumours to blacken her name and get
her fired from Generations. Earlier this year
the tabloids announced that Winnie was
leaving the “humble Thabo” for a wealthy KZN
politician and she was painted as a moneyhungry disloyal wife.
The latest story is that the actress violently
beat up her estranged husband without any
provocation. Until now Winnie has stayed silent,
but this latest rumour has forced her to come out
fighting. “Firstly, I want to clarify that I never hit
Thabo. On the last weekend of July, my cousin
Sikhulile and I went to the house that Thabo
and I used to share in Roodepoort to fetch a kist
which had all my confidential documents.
“
“Thabo was already outside with it when we
got there and helped Sikhulile move the kist to
the car. He then walked away and got into his car
to leave.
l
I was trying to talk to him and he just
ign
ignored me, saying I must take my kist and get
off his property as he never wanted to see me
aga
again. I ended up standing behind his car, still
try
trying to get him to listen to me. At this point,
eve
even though he knew I was behind his car, he
rev
reversed and knocked into me, injuring my arm
and knee,” she explains.
“
“I was so shocked that he hated me so
mu
much that he could try to run me over.” Winnie points to a large, fading bruise on her arm
and says her knee is still sore. “I was really
ang
angry. I reached into his car and shook him but I
never punched him
as he has claimed.”
Winnie says Thabo
accused her of not
wanting to speak
Setswana and
would be very
angry when their
son, Phenyo,
watched Zulu
cartoons on TV.
8 | 9 AUGUST 2013
www.drum.co.za
D RU M spoke to
Winnie in June
when the news of
the breakup was
announced. At the
time Winnie wouldn’t
go into details, but
she says now it’s time to tell her side of the story.
She explains that cracks began to show in the
relationship when she got the role of Khethiwe in Generations in 2005. Almost overnight
she went from being a relatively unknown and
struggling actress living in Yeoville to a big name
that everyone wanted a piece of.
Her new fame had unexpected consequences.
“Thabo is a very insecure man and he couldn’t
handle my success. He wants to see me down
and out, poor and unemployed so he can
control me,” Winnie says bitterly.
And she says while Thabo wasn’t happy about
her fame, he did enjoy the financial benefits.
“I worked a lot on weekends and picked up
extra gigs as MC to earn more to improve our
lives and make my husband happy,” she explains.
“In 2011 I even bought Thabo a Mercedes just
to see him smile. He smiled for a while, but not
for long – he was always jealous of me.
“When I had saved enough to buy my dream
car, a Range Rover, he claimed it had been
bought by a lover and his accusations took away
all my joy,” she says.
“Thabo’s insecurities continued to grow
throughout our marriage and he became
increasingly possessive.While he never physically
hurt me, I was battered emotionally by a steady
stream of belittling comments and accusations.
He had his friends in intelligence follow me and
report my every move. He controlled who I saw
and where I went. Eventually I had to get his permission to even go to an event,” she says angrily.
“He also tried to control the people I hung
out with. At one point he insisted that Sophie
Ndaba was pimping out girls and told me not
to talk to her again. A few weeks later when
Sophie got a call from a journalist asking about
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her prostitution ring, I knew Thabo was behind it,”
she says with a sigh. “He’d make things up and
convince himself they were true.”
Thabo’s behaviour became more bizarre.
She describes how he once woke her up at midnight insisting they go and talk at the garage, to tell
her his gogo had appeared to him in a dream and
told him Winnie was keeping secrets.
Winnie says Thabo’s insecurities probably stem
from his failed first marriage. She hints at alleged
infidelity on his first wife’s part and observes that
Thabo uses this to gain sympathy. When she met
him, the SABC cameraman was full of stories
about his evil wife. Winnie says now she’s the evil
one and Thabo is relishing playing the hard-doneby victim.
“I did everything I could to save the marriage,
from seeing psychologists to seeking couples counselling.” When Thabo told the therapist he thought
his wife was too successful,Winnie was bewildered.
“In my mind, my success was our success and I
was doing everything for us.”
While Thabo was threatened by Winnie’s earning
power, he also allegedly abused it. In 2010 she got
a R100 000 payment for a job and put the
money into their bond. Later she discovered
Thabo had withdrawn the money and wouldn’t explain why
or what he did with it. “I felt so
betrayed. How could I trust him?
He had stolen from me.”
My success
was our success –
I was doing everything for us
THABO’S COMMENT
“I’ve always stressed my desire to live a private
life. These developments are extremely disturbing
and stressing. I consider this matter private therefore I can’t confirm anything in relation to the
mother of my child.
My conscience is absolutely clear on all the
issues she raised. I could never abdicate or
surrender my responsibilities as a husband and a
father. Let me make it very clear that I can never
harm anybody, let alone a woman whom we
shared so many good things in our life. It’s
however imperative to state that this matter is in
the hands of the police and therefore it’s difficult
for me to comment further. I pray that she finds
peace and I shall also strive to do so. Let God
who is the judge of all people fairly execute his
judgement over this matter.”
THE strain of living with such
abuse began to overwhelm Winnie
and she even considered suicide.
“I hate taking pills but one night
I took about eight tablets. Thabo
woke up and stopped me from swallowing more.
He forced me to drink milk and I wasn’t harmed.
At one point, whenever I saw a truck I wanted
to drive into it,” she weeps. “The only thing that
stopped me is the fact that I’m a praying woman.”
Winnie’s pet project, the Royal Soapies Awards, was Thabo’s next target, she says.
When her once-partner in the venture, Scandal! actress Lula Tuku, sued her for breach
of contract, Thabo allegedly tried to sabotage
Winnie’s defence by giving Lula copies of
confidential documents. The case was settled
out of court, but she says the betrayal cut deep.
The Modises are now living apart but
share custody of their young son, Phenyo.
They had agreed to both move out, but while
Winnie found herself an apartment, Thabo
reneged on the deal and still lives in the
Roodepoort home that Winnie had spent a
fortune renovating and furnishing. Thabo
has also taken out a protection order against
Winnie. No one can tell when the war of the
Modises will end, but one thing is certain – their
fairytale is sadly well and truly over. ■
claudia@drum.co.za
www.drum.co.za
15 AUGUST 2013
|9
Celebrity news
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CLOTHES: TOP, JO BORKETT; SKIRT, THULA SINDI; BLACK DRESS; ANTHERLINE; SHOES, ZARA; ACCESSORIES, LOVISA
‘THERE’S LIFE
AFTER CANCER’
Actress Mbali Maphumulo didn’t let breast cancer
stand in the way of achieving her dreams. Now she
wants to raise awareness about the disease
BY MPHO TSHIKHUDO
PICTURES: JUSTIN DINGWALL
I
SIBAYA actress Mbali Maphumulo (33)
is sporting a trendy weave and looking as
laid-back and attractive as ever when we
meet her at our Sandton offices. There’s
nothing to suggest that this woman has a
long battle with cancer behind her – or that
she’s lost both breasts to the disease.
But Mbali is not here looking for sympathy.
She agreed to this interview because she wants to
warn other women to take their health seriously,
and to weigh things up carefully before undergoing treatment for the dread disease that’s
shaped the past 10 years of her life.
“Breast cancer is one of the worst things that
can happen to any woman,” the actress, who’s
married to former Generations star Dumisani
10 | 15 AUGUST 2013
www.drum.co.za
Mbebe, says. “But they don’t have to lose their
breasts. That’s why I’m doing this interview:
to warn women out there not to lose their breasts
unnecessarily by allowing surgeons to remove
them without explaining all treatment options.
“There’s life after breast cancer. My wish is
for other women to have dignity after breast
surgery. But a lot of doctors are cutting corners
and procedures are being botched.”
Fortunately, Mbali’s surgery was not botched,
but it took her a long time to pluck up the
courage to agree to the double mastectomy that
probably saved the singer and actress’ life.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone,” she says.
“When I was faced with the inevitable, I initially
told the doctors I’d rather die because my breasts
were part of what deABOVE and RIGHT:
Breast implants
fined me. Soon after my
have helped Mbali
diagnosis I went onto the
Maphumulo
net and saw pictures of
regain her confimastectomies that were
dence after losing
so gruesome I thought
both her breasts
I’d never go through
to cancer.
with it.”
But cancer runs in Mbali’s family; both her
mother and grandmother were treated for the
disease, and doctors convinced her not having
her breasts removed could cause the cancer to
spread. “Think of it as a fly inside your body
that’s just eating away at everything,” she says.
“It’s deadly if you don’t catch it in time.”
MBALI was acting in the Lion King and
living in Europe 12 years ago when she had
the first inklings all was not well with her
health. “The shows we did were very physical.
During one of our routine performances I had
pain in my breast, but didn’t think much of it. I
thought it was just caused by my tight costume.”
But when she eventually consulted a doctor,
tests revealed she had lumps in one breast.
Surgeons suggested they be removed. “I didn’t
even confide in the cast,” she says. “I was a
long way from home and filled with a sense of
emptiness. Zamo, my now 15-year-old daughter
was all I could think about, she was only three
at the time.
“I didn’t tell anyone else because there’s a
certain shame that comes with it. Once you
tell people they start imagining how you’d look