She was a child actor and landed her first big role at 17

Mbau grew up in the South African public eye, entering the entertainment industry as a child with numerous roles on minor shows like Kideo Kids and being a Sasko Sam presenter.

She was just 17 years old when she landed her first big role (and pay cheque) on hit local soap opera, Muvhango. In an interview on eNCA, she said her first pay cheque was around US$5,300, and the only reason she opened a bank account was because she was told she was about to get a big cash injection.

She has been called the “queen of bling”

In her book, B*tch, Please! I’m Khanyi Mbau, published in 2012, the star spoke about how she entered a customary marriage when she was just 19 years old. Her husband Mandla Mthembu was 49 years old. The couple regularly made headlines for having matching yellow Lamborghinis and identical luxury outfits, and were always seen together.

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Although she was a star in her own right, she was labelled a “gold-digger” and “Queen of Bling” for the amount of jewellery that she was known to wear.

Bling aside though, her marriage may not have been as fairy tale as it seemed – in her book, the actress also detailed alleged physical abuse by her husband.

The couple have a daughter named Khanukani together.

From Lamborghinis to nothing

Mbau’s relationship with Mthembu was tumultuous, reported Sunday World. According to Sowetan, Mthembu kicked Mbau out of the luxury hotel they were living in, which was when she realised she had nothing.

Sowetan also reported that Mthembu later lost his fortune and was himself asked to leave the hotel he was staying in when he could not pay the bills. The Lamborghinis he and Mbau used to drive were also repossessed by the bank for non-payment.

Another sour ending

Mbau was again the centre of gossip in SA after she started dating Theunis Crous. You magazine reported that Theunis had moved with his family from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg when he fell for Mbau. He left his wife and paid for a flat in the upmarket area of Hyde Park for his new girlfriend. The magazine reported that he also bought her a BMW.

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But the relationship soon turned sour, with the pair taking shots at each other on social media. They both spoke to the press to give their side of the story. Naked pictures of Mbau were leaked and she claimed Crous was behind it, reported News24.

A more down to earth phase?

After a series of bad relationships, Mbau started dating musician Tebogo Lerole. She had several acting gigs, was being paid to make appearances at clubs and had seemingly settled down.

In an interview with Sunday Tribune, she said that after splitting with Mthembu, she had saved up and bought a used car, having realised it was better to know she had paid for her own goods instead of relying on a man.

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So who is she dating now?

Just as Mbau was winning the hearts of South Africans for being more down to earth, she split from her long-time musician boyfriend Lerole and said she was ready to date, but only if the man was rich and handsome, reported TimesLIVE. She is currently dating Zimbabwean businessman Kudzai Mushonga.

Kudzai made headlines after it was reported that he was wanted in connection with fraud and was labelled as a fugitive by the police, reported News24. In the first episode of the Netflix series, Khanyi said she doesn’t care where her man’s money comes from as long as he pays the bills.