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It’s official, gqom queen Babes Wodumo and her boyfriend Mampintsha are back in each other’s arms.
This was confirmed to City Press on Friday by Mampintsha’s manager, Lindo Buthelezi, ahead of the 36-year-old’s appearance in court.
On Wednesday, Mampintsha – real name Mandla Maphumulo – will make his second appearance in the Pinetown Magistates’ Court, outside Durban, charged with assault after he allegedly beat his 24-year-old girlfriend two months ago. A video of the alleged attack was broadcast on Instagram.
Buthelezi said: “The couple are not just back together, but Mampintsha has also dropped assault charges against Babes.”
Maphumulo laid countercharges of assault against Babes Wodumo, whose real name is Bongekile Simelane.
“It is still not clear if Babes will also withdraw charges she laid against Mampintsha,” he said.
Buthelezi, however, described the couple’s relationship as “tricky and sensitive”.
Simelane ignored all calls and messages requesting comment. And Buthelezi was tight-lipped about when the couple reconciled following the alleged assault.
The reconciliation, however, was not unexpected. It was evident a week ago when Maphumulo released a music video on his Instagram feed of a song titled Khona Iyngane Lay’Ndlini. In the video he featured Simelane, DJ Tira and Campmaster and the lyrics of the song are the infamous words he was heard saying on the Instagram video.
The song has raised questions about whether it was just a publicity stunt; some fans felt betrayed by Simelane and have vowed to mute Mampintsha music.
Buthelezi said he felt Simelane and Maphumulo “divided the country” when they decided to reconcile.
The music video was filmed after Maphumulo was granted bail of R2 000, the conditions of which forbid him from having any contact whatsoever with Simelane.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Kara said both assault cases were on the roll.
“Issues regarding contravention of bail conditions will have to be addressed by the police, or alternatively be raised at the court appearance,” she said.
Kara said the NPA had not received any indication that Simelane’s case was being withdrawn or whether there was any such intention.
But Mkhize insisted: “These two people are inseparable and no one will separate them until they both decide for themselves.”
When City Press contacted Simelane’s father, Welcome Simelane, he insisted that his daughter was not back with Mampintsha.
He continued to deny it after he was informed that Buthelezi had confirmed they were back together.
“Baningi abantu abakhuluma into abangayazi, engikwaziyo mina indodakazi yami ayibuyelanga ku Mandla [There are many people who are talking about things they don’t know. All I know is that my daughter is not back with Mandla],” he said angrily. Asked if he’d seen the music video featuring his daughter and Maphumulo, he said he hadn’t.
Buthelezi said he believed “Babes hasn’t told her father the truth”.
“I guess it’s because she loves, respects and, most importantly, doesn’t want to fail her dad,” he said.
“I am caught in between, because I work with him and I find I have to attend to queries about his personal life. It is unfortunate that toxic relationships are unhealthy for everyone.”
Buthelezi said he’d tried to take Maphumulo to a therapist, but it was up to him to decide whether he was ready to change. “Unfortunately, as much as I am close to Mampintsha, I cannot choose who he should date.”
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