Legal drama dominated the headlines this week, with Minnie Dlamini’s R2.5 million case against MacG making waves, fresh testimony emerged in the Anele Tembe inquest, and Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye back in the dock over his firearm case.
There was happier news elsewhere, though, as Ciara, Russell Wilson, Matthew Booth and Bongani Mthombeni all shared pregnancy announcements.
1. Minnie Dlamini says MacG fallout wiped out a major Nivea deal
Minnie Dlamini says the fallout from remarks made about her on MacGyver “MacG” Mukwevho’s “Podcast and Chill” went far beyond hurt feelings, reportedly costing her an R897,000 Nivea deal in the process.
According to “Sunday Times”, Dlamini laid out the full extent of the damage in a 79-page statement submitted to the Equality Court, heard at the Johannesburg High Court.
Dlamini reportedly also spoke about the toll it took on her confidence and self-esteem. The lawsuit centres on comments about her personal life and physical appearance, which she regards as hate speech and gender-based discrimination.
In August 2025, Dlamini sued Mukwevho and co-host Sol Phenduka for R2.5 million, claiming remarks made about her personal life and body were degrading, misogynistic and dehumanising.
Of the R2.5 million she’s seeking, R1 million is reportedly for herself, with a further R1.5 million earmarked for Women for Change, an organisation that advocates for women's rights.
MacG previously apologised for the comments, but Dlamini rejected the apology and pressed ahead with legal action.
2. Matthew Booth and partner expecting their first child together
Former Bafana Bafana star Matthew Booth and partner Bongani Mthombeni are set to welcome their first child together. Mthombeni broke the news on Instagram with a photo of three pairs of sneakers lined up (two adult-sized, one tiny), captioned “Tiny kicks are officially on the way!”.
This will reportedly be the pair’s first shared child, though each already has two sons from earlier relationships, bringing their blended family to five kids in total.
The couple’s relationship first made headlines in 2022 amid allegations from Booth’s then-wife, Sonia Booth. The saga, dubbed the “cheesecake scandal” at the time, drew heavy social media attention before Booth and Mthombeni confirmed they were together.
3. Ciara and Russell Wilson reveal fifth child on the way
Ciara and Russell Wilson are growing their family once more. The pair revealed on 6 September that a fifth child is on the way, marking the moment with a photoshoot of shirts bearing each of their kids’ names, followed by a onesie for the newest addition, captioned “One more person to love”.
The couple already share Sienna, Win and Amora, while Ciara’s son Future, from a previous relationship, rounds out the family.
Wilson has made no secret of wanting a fifth child, according to reports. Ciara has also previously poked fun at his persistence, recalling to Access Hollywood in 2025 that he brought up a fifth baby almost immediately after Amora’s birth.
4. Ntando Rambani on childhood pain caused by her grandmother
The media personality opened up about childhood bullying over her freckles from her own grandmother. Speaking to Nandi Madida on the “Motherhood Network Book Club” about her new book, “From One Mother to Another”, the actress turned author recalled being told by her grandmother that the freckles made her look ugly.
Visibly emotional, Rambani said the tears that followed weren’t from anger and added that the experience ultimately shaped her own parenting, saying it taught her exactly the kind of mother she didn’t want to be.
5. Queen Nandi's troubles with the law
Reality star Queen Nandi, real name Nandipha Mlombi, reached a settlement last year with gospel artist and estate agent Vuyiseka Mpeqeka over a rental dispute dating back to 2025.
Under that agreement, Mlombi was barred from speaking publicly about Mpeqeka, a term she allegedly broke when Mpeqeka appeared in a clip from Nandi’s reality show, “Nandi and The Rev”.
Mpeqeka reported the breach, prompting a magistrate to issue a warrant for Mlombi’s arrest on contempt of court charges.
She has yet to be taken into custody, reportedly because she’s currently outside Gauteng, and was uncooperative when police reached her by phone.
According to “The Citizen”, Journalist Pule Letshwiti-Jones later confirmed on X that contact has been re-established, though Nandi has apparently insisted that all further communication happen by email only.
6. New witness testimony details AKA’s final phone call before Tembe’s death
New testimony in the inquest into Anele Tembe’s death has revealed that AKA phoned the Pepper Club Hotel’s front desk asking for security shortly before Tembe fell to her death in April 2021.
Tembe was engaged to the rapper at the time. Proceedings at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court reportedly also heard that the pair had allegedly argued that night, with Tembe allegedly throwing her engagement ring at AKA, prompting him to book a separate room.
A hotel staff member told the court she took the call from AKA, whose voice she recognised from a previous stay, and that she heard a scream followed by a loud bang while still on the line with him, describing him as sounding panicked.
Another witness said he’d heard an argument, then sobbing, then a sound like a gunshot, before running outside and discovering a woman’s body in the street. Proceedings have been postponed for a month until October.
7. Jub Jub’s case postponed as bail conditions remain in place
Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye was back in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court briefly this week, where his firearm-related case was pushed back to September 17. His R5,000 bail was extended, and an earlier warrant, issued after he skipped a court date, was formally withdrawn.
According to reports, his lawyer, Henry Motsemme, told the court his client had missed the previous appearance due to illness and said Maarohanye is now finding it hard to secure work because of the ongoing case.
The charges stem from a June incident in Edenvale involving an e-hailing driver Maarohanye allegedly accused of having an affair with his partner.
The original kidnapping charges have since been dropped, leaving him facing charges linked to possessing an imitation firearm, after police allegedly recovered a pellet gun from his home. He denies ever pointing it at anyone.
8. Jhené Aiko surprises fans with new album
Aiko is making her return after more than six years away, unveiling her new album “Westside Whimsy” on September 8, with almost no waiting, as it drops just three days later on September 11.
The cover art shows the singer with crystal-like tears streaming down her face.
Aiko has reportedly described the project as inspired by 90s music and her California roots, from car culture to surf and beach life, calling the state “such a magical place”.
She’d previously hinted at the title back in January through an “Erewhon” smoothie flavour of the same name.
9. Rum. Gold set for two-night South African run this October
R&B and soul artist Rum. Gold is heading back to South Africa for a two-night run, giving local fans a fresh chance to catch his intimate live sound.
The Washington-born singer, known for tracks like “Call It What You Want”, “Waiting For” and “Forever In A Song”, will pull from his full catalogue, including material from his newer 2026 work.
He’ll share the “In The City” stage with Isaiah Rashad and Sinéad Harnett across two October dates, part of a wider trend of international R&B acts finding a growing audience in South Africa.
nomathamsanqa.sithathu@nationalmg.co.za