We Found Love In A Hopeless Place

These ZAlebs couples met at work

By  | Jan 20, 2022, 09:16 AM  | Ntokozo Mbambo  | Relationships

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Attempt a quick Google search on dating coworkers, and you’ll no doubt be hit by an overwhelming number of articles telling you never to do it. There are many reasons it often ends badly, causing a lot of drama for the whole workplace, not just the two people in the relationship. No wonder many companies have strict HR policies around the practice. 

But sometimes you take a shot in the dark and it works out, which has happened many times to those we look up to. Here are some ZAlebs who found love at work. 


Ntokozo Mbambo and Nqubeko Mbatha


When we think of a couple made in heaven, Ntokozo Mbambo and Nqubeko Mbatha immediately come to mind. Their love story is even more beautiful since they are both gospel musicians, and came together to have a powerful joint career.

The two who have been married since 2008 first met when they were both in the gospel choir Joyous Celebration. Ntokozo was first a choir member, and slowly rose to lead singer, while Nqubeko was the keyboard player. 
This couple proves that you can’t go wrong by letting God write your love story. They just celebrated 13 years together in 2021, and have two children. Their careers have continued to flourish, and theirs is the perfect picture of marital bliss.

Atandwa Kani and Fikile Mthwalo


We imagine it is intense for two actors to work together, especially when they are attracted to each other. That was the case with Atandwa and Fikile, who met on the set of It’s Complicated

Image source: Twitter @zalebs


The two lived apart for about two years, during which many speculated that there was trouble in paradise, and they were separated. But it turned out that circumstances forced them to live apart, as Fikile pursued her studies in New York. She returned home in June 2020, and have been happily together since, to the best of our knowledge, since they like to keep their relationship private. 

AKA and DJ Zinhle 


Rapper AKA and his baby mama DJ Zinhle had one of the most turbulent relationships in ZAleb history. And you may know about the fact that they broke up because of Kiernan’s affair with Bonang, but did you know they met at work?


The two have both shared their relationship history with the media multiple times. They first laid eyes on each other at a gig they were both playing, but that was after Zinhle had first slid into AKA’s DMs to ask to work on a song together. 
There was obviously no song (Zinhle is still waiting to date), and the two ended up becoming an official couple by the evening of the day after they met, and the rest is history. Even through the drama the two had together, they have both reached a place of peaceful maturity, and are co parenting one of Mzansi’s most beloved kids, their lovely daughter Kairo Forbes.

Maps Maponyane and Nomzamo Mbatha 


Both Maps and Nomzamo are known to keep their dating lives on the down low, so it may be hard to pinpoint exactly when they started dating, especially considering it took them forever to finally confirm that they were a couple.

But as fans analysed their relationship timelines, the common conclusion was that the two of them met on the set of Tell Me Sweet Something, a local rom-com in which they played each other's love interest. 


Again, because of their aversion to publicity, the facts on how long the relationship lasted are sketchy, but it could be anywhere between one year to more than three years. What's clear though is that the relationship ended terribly, with cheating allegations flying around, and Nomzamo even threatened to expose Maps's dirty laundry. Yikes! 

Howza and Salamina Mosese


Howza and Salamina Mosese are not just two of Mzansi's favourite actors, they are also one of our favourite celebrity couples. The two met on the set of the eTV show Backstage, which ended in 2007. As they narrated, Salamina was not looking for a relationship when they met, so Howza had to settle for her friendship.


The tides turned somewhere along the way and Salamina changed her mind. And aren’t we glad that she did, because they gave us one of Mzansi’s best power couples. Their love inspires us everyday, and as they celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary, the Scandal actor still considers his wife his greatest miracle. 

Sipho ‘Psyfo’ Ngwenya and Hulisani Ravele


Sipho ‘Psyfo’ Ngwenya and Hulisani Ravele were that couple everyone thought would be together happily ever after, but I guess things don’t always go the way we want them to. The two were both child stars and met on the SABC1 teen show YoTV, where they were both presenters.


They were together for ten years, until they abruptly broke up. They kept it civil, and all Hulisani offered in the way of an explanation was that they simply grew apart. Sipho got married in 2020, and many people who had shipped his relationship with Hulisani for a whole decade were salty about it.

Read also: Why Hulisani and Psyfo why?

But Hulisani was too busy living her life to be concerned with the mess that tweeps were trying to drag her into. Life doesn’t always turn out the way we thought it would and that’s okay, and Hulisani understands that.

Read also: Psyfo And Aamirah Celebrate 4th Anniversary

Just because some of these relationships ended doesn't mean they were not beautiful when they lasted, and at least we will always have the fond memories. This is not a sign to date a coworker; as you have seen, it can sometimes end in disaster. But I guess if you're a risk taker... just don't say we encouraged you, okay? 
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