Get to know Denise Zimba: The star's career, marriage, and motherhood
Denise Zimba is best known for portraying Mary Gumede in the soap opera Generations: The Legacy. But beyond her professional life, she has, on several occasions, made headlines for her custody battle with her estranged husband, Jakob Schlichtig. In 2025, the actress took to X (Twitter) to accuse him of infidelity in a post that read:
There is nothing worse than finding out that your best friend, since you were 14 years old, has been having an affair with your husband.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Denise Zimba's profile summary
- Denise Zimba is a native of Rustenburg: A look at her early life
- Conclusion
Key takeaways
- From 2013 to 2016, Denise worked as a presenter for the V Entertainment news series.
- She married Jakob Schlichtig in a lavish wedding in 2022, but filed for divorce the following year, citing emotional abuse and lack of support.
- Zimba has described walking away from her "toxic marriage" as the best thing she has ever done for herself.
- As of January 2026, Denise does not have physical custody of their two kids, following a court ruling to have them live with their German father in Munich.
Denise Zimba's profile summary
Full name | Kopano Denise Zimba |
Date of birth | 10 November 1988 |
Age | 37 years old (As of January 2026) |
Birthplace | North West, South Africa |
Nationality | South African |
Education | Tshwane University of Technology |
Marital status | Divorced |
Ex-spouse | Jakob Schlichtig |
Children | 2 |
Profession | Singer, actress, TV personality, dancer |
Years active | 2010-present |
Social media |
Denise Zimba is a native of Rustenburg: A look at her early life
Kopano Denise Zimba (37 as of January 2026) was born on 10 November 1988. During a November 2022 interview with Kaya 959's Sol Phenduka and Dineo Ranaka, the actress shared a glimpse of her family background, including the origin of her surname, Zimba. She said:
My grandfather was born in Malawi, but was adopted by the Zimba family, who relocated with him to South Africa.
Source: Original
Zimba describes her siblings as her "best human gifts"
Denise grew up alongside three siblings: Kgosi, Dineo and Tumisang. On 21 May 2023, she penned a heartfelt message on X (Twitter), writing:
I am lucky to tag-team this life with my three true best friends: the besties of all besties! I love you guys so much.
On 22 June 2024, Zimba posted a video of her brother having a good time with her kids on Instagram. She captioned the post:
Anyone who knows me knows my kind-hearted big bro, who never judges and is ever willing to help. Thank you for consistently holding me down.
She was featured on the 2013 Fly Chix reality series
Zimba graduated from Tshwane University of Technology in 2010 with a Musical Theatre diploma. She has performed in hit shows such as Urinetown, Rent and Spelling Bee. Additionally, Denise has other stage credits as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and as a performer with the Varga Girls.
Inside Denise Zimba's high-profile marriage to Jakob Schlichtig
Zimba and Schlichtig met in Cape Town in 2015. They welcomed their first child, Leah, in July 2019 and married in a small private wedding in January 2020.
On 9 April 2022, the pair renewed their vows in a lavish "dream wedding" at the Blaauwklippen Wine Farm in Stellenbosch. Denise and Jakob's second child, Mila, was born in 2023 after the family's relocation to Germany.
Source: Instagram
Denise Zimba filed for divorce in September 2023
Denise filed for divorce after moving back to South Africa, accusing him of infidelity and lack of support. In her court documents, the actress alleged that she once found him pleasuring himself while texting another woman.
She also claimed that he refused to pay for her mom's flight to Germany to help her postpartum, but paid 990 Euros as a medical expense for his sick cat. According to Sunday World, Zimba also alleged:
Jakob's infidelity and lack of parental support pushed me into depression. He constantly insulted me, saying, "No man will ever want a poor woman with two kids like you."
Although the pair's divorce has yet to be finalised, in early 2025, Denise revealed that her close friend, Mpumi Mdluli, once had an affair with Jakob. According to TimesLIVE, she posted a picture from her wedding day featuring Mdluli on X. Her caption read:
This photo from two years ago now hits different. Little did I know.
She added:
No wonder you never celebrated me during my birthdays, bridal shower and baby showers.
Source: Twitter
Kopano Zimba is taking things "one step at a time"
On 11 November 2024, Denise took to Instagram to reflect on her separation from Jakob. She wrote:
The best thing I ever did for myself was walking away. I lost my family and my close friends. I was lied to and stripped of everything I worked so hard for. But I remain grateful to God for it all. I cannot wait for the good things that life has in store for me.
Denise and Jakob share two kids: A look at their ongoing custody battle
In March 2025, the Johannesburg High Court ordered Denise to take her children back to their dad in Germany after she travelled back with them to South Africa. About two months later, the singer took to Instagram to reveal that she had not spoken to her kids in a while, per TimesLIVE.
I have not spoken to my children in weeks. My biggest life regret is choosing wrong and having my kids live with the consequences of my actions.
Mzansi rallied behind her, many followers expressing dissatisfaction with the court's ruling to separate the kids from their mom.
Conclusion
Generations: The Legacy alum, Denise Zimba, has been in the entertainment industry for over a decade. She filed for divorce from her German husband, Jakob Schlichtig, in 2023, and they have since been involved in a heated custody battle for their two kids, Leah and Mila.
READ MORE: Obed Baloyi's story: from street vendor to SAFTA-winning actor
Briefly.co.za shared the biography of South African actor Obed Baloyi. As a young boy, he helped his mother sell fruits and vegetables on the streets. Baloyi began acting in high school around 1987, but formally entered the theatre scene in 1996, when he formed the Mangava Drama Group.
Baloyi transitioned to television in 2000 and played Tsutsuma in Ga Re Dumele for six seasons. His performance in this role earned him two nominations for Best Actor in a TV Comedy at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA), winning in 2014.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
