Leleti Khumalo has contributed so much to South Africa's acting scene. We were introduced to her in Sarafina which is where she met Mbongeni Ngema her first husband.
Read next: Leleti Khumalo on the day she decided to divorce Mbongeni Ngema
Read next: Leleti Khumalo on the day she decided to divorce Mbongeni Ngema
The two divorced after 14 years and later Leleti revealed why she woke up one morning and decided to end her marriage to Mbongeni Ngema. She described her marriage as 'disgusting' as she was living a lie that no one saw. To most she seemed happy and nothing appeared amiss.
Well it seems the marriage was doomed before it even started if Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema's memoir is anything to go by. Xoliswa was married to Mbongeni Ngema when Leleti entered the picture. According to Sunday world she has decided to spill the tea in her book called The heart of a strong woman.
In the book she narrates how Leleti Khumalo and Mbongeni had an affair behind her back. The affair started while they were shooting Sarafina and during a time Mbongeni was know for being a philanderer.
After finding out about the affair Xoliswa ambushed Leleti in a hotel room and proceeded to beat up Leleti with a switch. The beating was very strategic becuase she avoided Leleti's face, legs and hands as she was still in the middle of shooting Sarafina.
"I fell on Leleti. I beat her. But I was careful not to hit on her face. I also did not want to beat her on her legs. She had to go on the stage and perform the following day. So with my stick I concentrated on her body. She screamed, crying for mercy, crying for help. There was no mercy from me…’ After all I’ve done for you, you kick me in the face, bitch!’. I beat her at my own leisure, knowing that Mbongeni was still at Kippie’s Jazz Club drinking. I beat her until she was silent,”
"I fell on Leleti. I beat her. But I was careful not to hit on her face. I also did not want to beat her on her legs. She had to go on the stage and perform the following day. So with my stick I concentrated on her body. She screamed, crying for mercy, crying for help. There was no mercy from me…’ After all I’ve done for you, you kick me in the face, bitch!’. I beat her at my own leisure, knowing that Mbongeni was still at Kippie’s Jazz Club drinking. I beat her until she was silent,”
When Mbongeni came in and found Xoliswa beating up Leleti, he took the switch from her and started beating Xoliswa up with it. That is the straw that broke the camel's back and Xoliswa left Mbongeni for Leleti.
Main Image Credit: W24