South African actor and TV presenter Denise Zimba made the long trip to Munich to celebrate her daughter’s birthday—but says she was kept out of the house and forced to spend the moment outside.
Key takeaways
- Denise Zimba travelled to Munich from South Africa for a birthday visit with her daughters.
- She claimed she was not permitted to enter the home where her girls were staying.
- Zimba said Leah’s birthday party took place while she waited in the parking lot to give gifts.
- She later described having “restricted access” to her children and being told any further visits must happen outdoors.
- Her post sparked widespread support, including discussion about parental alienation after relationship breakdowns.
Denise Zimba says she was barred from the house
Denise Zimba, who is known to audiences for appearing in Generations: The Legacy and How to Ruin Christmas, shared the incident on her X account on Saturday, 4 July 2026.
In the post, she explained that she was blocked from entering the property where her daughters, Leah and Mila, are staying. She said Leah was celebrating her birthday and had a party arranged, but Zimba was instructed to meet her and her sister in the parking area instead. Zimba described how the girls opened the presents she had brought while they were outside.
She added in her own words: “I travelled all the way to Munich to see my girls. I’m not allowed access to them. Today is my daughter’s birthday party, and I am not allowed in the house. I opened the gifts I brought for them in the parking lot… and I was told that if I want to see them, it has to be outside.”
In a separate line of the same post, Zimba reiterated that she had to remain outdoors, writing that she had “restricted access” and that she was not allowed to enter the home, concluding with an emoji reaction.
Support from fans, plus context about her custody battle
Zimba’s update quickly gained attention, drawing an outpouring of support from people who related to being shut out by an ex-partner. Others used the moment to highlight parental alienation, saying it is a subject that often receives too little discussion when marriages end.
The actor and her German husband, Jakob Schlichting, married in April 2022 in a ceremony described as lavish at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. The wedding also followed a traditional celebration that honored Zimba’s Setswana heritage. Their first daughter, Leah, was born in July 2019, and their second child, Mila, arrived in August 2023.
According to Zimba’s account, the marriage began to fall apart after she discovered that Schlichting had allegedly had an affair with a close friend of 14 years. The two separated not long after the birth of their second daughter, with Zimba remaining in South Africa with the children while Schlichting returned to Germany.
That situation then shifted when Schlichting brought a Hague Convention case. He argued that the children had been unlawfully kept in South Africa and should be returned to their “habitual residence” in Germany. In March 2025, the Gauteng High Court ruled in his favour and ordered that the girls be sent back.
Zimba’s attempt to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court of Appeal did not succeed. The court ruled that custody-related issues would now be handled by German courts.
Speaking about the cost of the legal fight, Zimba said she was left with about R300,000 in legal debt.
