There were emotional goodbyes, messy family drama, a wedding and a few major career moves this week.
From the death of country music icon Dolly Parton to DJ Cleo ending his run at Radio 2000, here’s what had people talking in the world of celebrity and entertainment.
1. Famous deaths: Dolly Parton and Tim Curry
Country music icon Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80 after what her family described as a brief battle with cancer.
The singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist leaves behind a career that stretched over six decades, with classics including “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” becoming part of popular culture far beyond country music.
Following her, English actor Tim Curry, best known for his star turn as Dr Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic musical film "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," also died at the age of 80.
Curry, who had struggled with his health for more than a decade after a debilitating stroke, died at his home in Los Angeles, TMZ said.
Additionally, Parton’s legacy extended well beyond the stage. Through her Imagination Library, which she launched in 1995, more than 300 million books have been donated to children around the world.
2. DJ Cleo says goodbye to Radio 2000
The “Eskhaleni” party has officially come to an end, at least on Radio 2000.
DJ Cleo announced his departure from the station after 28 months, with his final show airing on August 22. The veteran DJ said he was stepping away from radio to focus more on his music career, family, academic journey and, most importantly, his peace and mental health.
He also made it clear that he was not leaving Radio 2000 for another station. For now, he plans to take things slowly while putting more energy into his music and live performances.
And while his radio chapter may be over, Cleo says the “Eskhaleni” brand is far from finished.
3. Emtee’s father speaks out after viral family confrontation
The drama surrounding Emtee’s arrest took another turn this week after his father, Lumikile Ndevu, spoke to TimesLive about the viral confrontation involving the rapper’s girlfriend, singer Nandi Nathane Moncho, and her mother.
According to Ndevu, the conflict centred around Emtee’s Hyundai H-1 and his personal belongings following the rapper’s arrest. He alleged that his family had gone to collect the car and other items after agreeing with Moncho that they would be handed over.
Moncho, however, has filed a protection order application against Emtee’s father, alleging that he verbally attacked her and attempted to force his way into the complex where she lives with the rapper. Ndevu has denied the allegations.
The situation comes as Emtee remains in custody after his bail was revoked over an alleged violation of a protection order obtained by his estranged wife, Nicole Chinsamy.
4. Ayanda Ntanzi finds a home for his heart
Congratulations are in order for gospel singer Ayanda Ntanzi, who has officially tied the knot with Gcina Zungu.
Pictures and clips from their umembeso ceremony (a traditional Zulu gift-giving ceremony) made the rounds online, with fans celebrating the couple as Ntanzi shared a heartfelt declaration of love during their ring exchange.
The singer thanked Zungu for saying yes to his proposal, and said that meeting her had made him a better man, minister, believer and leader. He also praised her commitment to God and the gospel, describing her as someone who had brought strength and unconditional love into his life.
5. Serayah ends engagement to Joey Bada$$
The singer and actress has announced the end of her engagement and relationship with Joey Bada$$ after more than three years together.
In a statement shared on Instagram, the actress said she had been forced to confront what she described as repeated infidelity throughout their relationship, including during some of the most vulnerable and meaningful moments of her life.
“If your intuition is telling you something is wrong, listen,” she wrote.
The former couple share a son, born in June 2025. Serayah said her priority now is protecting their child’s peace, privacy and relationship with both parents.
6. Black Coffee wins R7m Maserati legal battle
He has won his legal battle against Maserati South Africa after a dispute over a customised luxury car that was never delivered.
The Grammy-winning DJ had reportedly traded in his Maserati MC20 Coupé, valued at around R7 million, towards a customised Maserati MC20 Cielo worth approximately R9 million. The agreement meant that the car would be traded in with the DJ paying the remaining R2 million.
When the arrangement fell through and the vehicle was not delivered, Black Coffee sought the return of the R7 million trade-in amount. Maserati reportedly did not agree to return the full amount.
The Johannesburg High Court has now ruled in his favour, ordering Maserati South Africa to pay back the R7 million, along with 10.5% annual interest from August 22, 2025, until the amount is paid in full. The company was also ordered to cover the legal costs.
7. Prince Harry and Meghan return to the UK
Prince Harry, Meghan and their children are back in Britain after six years in the United States.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are relocating from California to somewhere outside London for what has been described as an extended period, with Archie and Lilibet set to start school in Britain next month.
The family will not be returning to royal duties or moving into a royal residence. Instead, they will remain non-working royals under the arrangement agreed when the couple stepped back from official duties in 2020.
Their return also comes after Harry’s relationship with King Charles reportedly improved in recent months, with the King seeing his grandchildren for the first time since 2022.
8. Dineo Ranaka gets baptised
Dineo Ranaka had social media talking this week after images of the media personality smiling after her baptism at Highway Church Centurion circulated online.
While many congratulated her on the moment, others immediately had questions about what the baptism means for her journey as a traditional healer. Dineo previously spoke publicly about accepting her ancestral calling and graduating as a traditional healer, becoming known as Gogo Somahashe.
At the time, she said being a healer was a calling she could not stop fulfilling, alongside her work as a DJ and TV presenter.
For now, Dineo has not publicly commented on the baptism or clarified whether anything has changed regarding her work as a traditional healer, leaving the timeline to do what it does best: speculate.
9. Anele Mdoda is tired of people’s ‘visions’ about her family
Mdoda has had enough of strangers claiming to receive visions about her family.
The radio personality shared screenshots of a message from a woman who claimed to have received a “God-sent vision” about Anele’s son and stepmother, Noxolo. The message made a series of disturbing allegations about the health of Anele’s family and supposed plans to harm them.
Anele was not having it. She said messages like these had become a regular occurrence, with people claiming to receive messages about her family from God, her ancestors and deceased relatives.
“You think you know us. You don’t. You know OF us,” she wrote, before telling people to keep their unsolicited visions to themselves.
Her point was simple: people can believe what they want, but making serious claims about someone else’s family based on supposed visions can be dangerous.
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