Who was Mbongeni Ngema's wife? A closer look at his love life
Mbongeni Ngema is an iconic South African playwright, director, composer, lyricist, choreographer, and theatre producer best known for co-writing historical productions Woza Albert! (1981) and Sarafina! (1988). Mbongeni's love life is also often in the public eye, with the playwright's tragic death igniting curiosity surrounding his romantic life. Who is Mbongeni Ngema's wife?
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Although Mbongeni Ngema's current wife is an immensely private figure, his marriage to his first wife, Leleti Khumalo, is the most high-profile relationship the producer has had. Before discussing our limited information on his current wife, here is Mbongeni's first wife, Leleti's profile summary.
Leleti Khumalo's bio summary
| Full name | Leleti Khumalo |
| Date of birth | March 30, 1970 |
| Age | 54 years old in 2024 |
| Zodiac sign | Aries |
| Birthplace | KwaMashu, South Africa |
| Romantic orientation | Heterosexual |
| Religious beliefs | Christianity |
| Current nationality | South African |
| Marital status | Formerly married to Mbongeni Ngema (1992 to 2005)Married to Skhutazo Winston Khanyile (2012) |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Gender | Female |
| Height | 160 cm |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Parents | Theressa Tanyiso-Khumalo (mother, father unknown) |
| Profession | Actress, businesswoman and MC |
| Net worth | $1 million |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter) |
When Mbongeni Ngema passed, a lady named Yolanda 'Wanda' Moncho claimed to be his customary wife and was pregnant with his child. The Sunday World reported that a letter penned by Yolanda dated January 2, 2024, claimed she is the managing director of Diamond Edge, the artist management company that managed Mbongeni's career. The letter, addressed to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube, requested she be involved in the late composer's funeral planning, which was promptly denied.
Mbongeni Ngema's wife
Mbongeni Ngema's current wife is Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema. With no information on Nompumelelo otherwise, details of her biography remain unknown to the public. However, the reclusive figure publicly expressed her struggles with dealing with losing her late husband.
Nompumelelo prepared a speech for her late husband's funeral service, expressing her despair. However, she was too emotional to provide the speech, and Prof Vusimuzi Gumede, who accompanied the podium, delivered it on her behalf. The tribute begins with:
'How do I begin to put together the pieces of my puzzle when the main part, you, are not around?'
His widow added how close they grew over their reported 17 years of marriage. The speech further reads:
'You truly did become my best friend, my mentor, and a centre that held everything together for me. You were a legend to many, but to me, you will always remain my husband. Thank you for loving me.'
Leleti Khumalo
Leleti Khumalo is not Mbongeni Ngema's current wife; she was his most high-profile relationship. The duo met while Leleti was starring in Sarafina! the film and had an affair while Mbongeni was still married to his first wife. What do we know about the actress and their relationship?
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Leleti Khumalo's age
Leleti was born on March 30, 1970, making Mbongeni Ngema's wife's age 54 in 2024. Her zodiac sign is Aries.
Leleti Khumalo’s children
The actress found love again with businessman Skhutazo Winston Khanyile, whom she married in 2012. The couple has twins Ulwenzile and Yamukelani Khanyile, born on May 24, 2013.
Did Leleti Khumalo date Bongeni Ngema?
Leleti Khumalo and Bongeni Ngema had a secret affair while meeting on-set for the film adaptation of Sarafina! and wed in 1992. The SowetanLIVE reported Leleti's unhappiness with her marriage in September 2014. LTheeleti said:
'I would portray that I am happy, living happily and yet I’m living a disgusting and strange life.'
The actress added she felt her then-husband also held her back professionally. Leleti expressed:
'I wanted to do different plays but it wasn’t possible. I don’t know if I could say he was jealous of me, I don’t know.'
What happened between Leleti and Bongeni Ngema?
Leleti and Mbongeni Ngema were divorced by 2005, leaving many fans to speculate what went wrong. Leleti went on to publicly accuse her ex-husband of abuse, which is believed to be the catalyst for the marriage's demise.
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Bongeni Ngema
Mbongeni Ngema's romantic life has been spotlighted since the playwright rose to prominence, with him being no stranger to controversy. Mbongeni had allegedly cheated on his first wife, Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, with his second wife, Leleti Khumalo. She also claimed he had abused her during their marriage. What else do we know of Mbongeni's controversial love life?
How many wives did Bongeni Ngema have?
Mbongeni Ngema's wives include Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, Leleti Khumalo and Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema. Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema and Mbongeni were divorced by the time she was 29, following a realisation during a trip to Nigeria that her abusive marriage to the playwright must end.
Details of Mbongeni Ngema's current wife, Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema, are limited, including when and how they met or when Nompumelelo and Mbongeni wed. Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema remains a reclusive figure, and no information regarding her biography is available.
When did Mbongeni Ngema get married?
It was not confirmed when Mbongeni and his first wife, Xoliswa Nduneni-Ngema, and his latest wife, Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema, wed. His wedding to Leleti took place in 1992, and they went their separate ways in 2005.
Does Bongeni Ngema have a child?
It is believed the playwright has had various children, but only Mbongeni Ngema's son, Sabelo Ngema, is publicly confirmed as his son. Sabelo Ngema is a singer who is married to actress Thandeka Zulu. The couple is a musical duo called Afrosoul, a multi-award-winning group that creates Afro-pop music.
Mbongeni Ngema's children's names are not disclosed, and little is known about Mbongeni Ngema's children that he allegedly has with other women.
What caused the death of Bongeni Ngema?
Mbongeni Ngema's death shocked many following news he was involved in a head-on collision upon his return from a funeral in Bizana, Eastern Cape, on December 27, 2023. Mbongeni was a passenger in the car during the time.
Mbongeni Ngema's funeral service was held on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at the Playhouse in Durban. He was laid to rest on Friday, January 5, 2024.
Mbongeni Ngema's wife, Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema, has remained fiercely private since being involved with the star, providing the public minimal information on her life. The playwright's other relationships are more highly publicised, but their private marriage was solid based on Nompumelelo Gumede-Ngema's heartfelt speech on the late composer.
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