'TrueLove Magazine' Shuts Down After 50 Years, Final Edition Set for January 2027

• TrueLove Magazine, one of South Africa's most iconic Black fashion and lifestyle publications, announced it is shutting down after more than 50 years in print
• The beloved magazine featured some of Mzansi's biggest stars on its covers, including Bonang, Makhadzi, Somizi, and Lerato Kganyago
• Mzansi reacted with heartbreak and concern over what the closure means for print media and literary culture in South Africa

One of South Africa's most beloved publications is closing its doors. TrueLove Magazine, which has championed Black excellence in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle for over five decades, is officially shutting down, with its final edition due in January 2027.

The announcement was shared on X by entertainment reporter @TvblogbyMLU on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, and quickly spread across social media as fans mourned the loss of a cultural institution.

TrueLove's 50-year print legacy

Over the course of its remarkable run, TrueLove graced its covers with some of the biggest names in South African entertainment. Stars such as Somizi, Bonang, Makhadzi, Lerato Kganyago, Zonke, and Masasa Mbangeni all featured prominently in the magazine's pages. Headlines ranging from "Modern Black Dads" to "The Lowdown on Protective Hairstyles" reflected a publication that spoke directly to the lives and aspirations of Black South Africans across generations.

Read also

Bonang Matheba responds to critics over Nicki Minaj support as femicide crisis enters debate

See the post below:

Mzansi reacts to TrueLove Magazine's closure

The news landed hard for many who grew up reading the magazine. Even Bonang herself weighed in on X, simply writing:

"Yoh. 😭😭"

Others were more reflective about what the shutdown represents for media in the country.

@chance_ntombela wrote:

"Yoh, print / traditional media is really dying a slow, painful death 💔💔💔😭. I remember growing up, always wanted to write for this magazine."

@Buhleee_ raised a broader concern, saying: "I'm concerned that the death of print media will contribute to a literary decline in the long run."

@Temptingtony__ offered a blunt take:

"Yho, they really stuck it out, hey. But we have to be honest about how magazines are not pushing the envelope anymore. Being reactive more than proactively engaging with the times."

@MarianneValen20 expressed sympathy for those affected:

"I am so sorry 😭💔 for the loss of your jobs, former colleagues at @TrueLoveMag."

Read also

Nasty C blasts government over GBVF crisis after 9 bodies discovered in Ekurhuleni

@KholuKay pointed to the economics of modern media:

"It costs 150…for the majority of things we would have seen online already. Yeah, it was time! Sad, though."

@ri_rhandzu asked the question many readers likely had in mind:

"Complete shutdown? No digital version? 🙁"

No confirmation of a digital continuation has been made public at this stage. For now, TrueLove's January 2027 edition will mark the final chapter of a magazine that shaped how Black South African women saw themselves for more than half a century.

SA celebs who graced TrueLove Magazine

Here are some of the celebrities who graced TrueLove Magazine, as reported by Briefly News:

• In 2024, DJ Zinhle and Murdah Bongz graced TrueLove Magazine's January/March issue.
• In April 2025, the publication reported that Minnie Dlamini graced TrueLove Magazine's cover, hot on the heels of her separation from Dr Brian Monaisa.
• Former Generations actress Sophie Ndaba also appeared on TrueLove Magazine.

Source: Briefly News