Actor Sipho Ndlovu says he’s finally ready to speak out after his ex-girlfriend, Thandeka “Shanice” Mhlanga, went public with an apology and withdrew the assault accusations she previously made about him.
Quick facts
- Sipho Ndlovu says he broke his silence after Thandeka “Shanice” Mhlanga apologised and retracted her assault allegations.
- In July 2024, Sipho spent a weekend in custody after an assault case was opened by his girlfriend of seven months.
- Sipho laid three countercharges, which contributed to her arrest and a night in jail before she was released on R1,000 bail.
- After two years of legal proceedings, Thandeka apologised on TikTok, saying she acted “in the heat of the moment.”
- Sipho says the apology has not undone the mental strain, career damage, and financial problems he’s experienced.
Back in July 2024, Sipho was detained for a weekend following an assault complaint filed at the Douglasdale police station in Johannesburg. The case was brought by a girlfriend he had been dating for seven months.
During that same period, Sipho said he submitted three countercharges. He claims those actions played a role in her arrest, a night behind bars, and her eventual release after posting R1,000 bail.
Now, after a long stretch of court proceedings lasting around two years, Thandeka has apologised—saying she was wrong to bring the case and acknowledging the toll it took on his work.
On TikTok, she described the moment as impulsive, explaining that she had harmed his public image and chose to withdraw the matter. She said she was upset about how the relationship ended, and added that she understood—on the day she went to his home—that the relationship was already over.
She also said she wanted to address the damage to his reputation directly, apologising to his supporters for falsely accusing him and expressing hope that they could move forward and leave the past behind.
In the middle of the apology, Thandeka added another personal reflection about justice—stating that she had been seeking accountability not only for Sipho, but for other men who may face similar accusations despite insisting they are innocent.
Sipho says the allegations put his career, his public standing, and even his personal life in jeopardy. He told his story while responding to the apology, saying he had expected the case to go to trial so his innocence could be tested in court.
“I couldn’t breathe”
Speaking about the two-year period, Sipho said he felt unable to properly breathe while the matter dragged on. He described an exhausting routine that kept him in court, adding that he believed he knew exactly where he stood and that he had never harmed her.
He said his ex was the one who came to his house and made the accusation, and he claimed that the outcome damaged his name and disrupted his career. Sipho said he wanted the case to proceed to trial and argued that the prosecutor instructed her to post about it online.
He reiterated that his desire was justice—not only for himself, but for other men who can be accused purely because of their gender. He said the experience affected him deeply, describing it as traumatic.
For Sipho, the apology doesn’t erase what he went through. He said he continues to be treated as if he’s a “woman beater,” and that the label has lingered long after the court fight ended.
He also described the personal consequences as ongoing and severe. Sipho said he is not okay mentally, is not working, and that since May he has not received payment. He added that he owes money, is sinking into debt, and is losing assets—claiming he is at risk of losing his car and even his house.
Before the allegations became public, Sipho was among the country’s sought-after actors. He built attention after appearing in The Wife, and he said he was invited to industry events and had multiple red carpet moments.
However, once the accusations surfaced online, his professional momentum was disrupted. Four months after the allegations, his role in Isitha was cut short.
He later joined SABC2’s Pimville, but said the show was discontinued. After that, he claimed he took on two smaller projects for Mzansi Bioskop.
With earnings inconsistent, Sipho said he depends on tax returns to keep himself afloat. He added that he can’t speak about other work opportunities because he says there weren’t any—stating that people were not booking him.
He also reflected on how it can feel as a man in the public eye, saying it sometimes seems like others are waiting for a man’s downfall. He linked that feeling to the way the allegations played out and the fallout that followed.
Beyond his career, Sipho said the financial impact has hit his family hard. He repeated that he cannot support his son, describing himself as an “useless father” as a result of the situation, and said he is unable to see his child because he cannot provide.
He said he has been going through a lot and feels drained and traumatised, adding that he feels he is only “alive” rather than living normally.
Sipho also said he doesn’t believe the public apology is enough for the “heaviness” he’s experienced over the past two years. He said he wants to move on with his life, but believes the apology does not truly balance the harm done to him.
“I want to live my life,” he said, concluding that while the apology might be intended as resolution, it doesn’t feel like justice to him.
