The long-running divorce battle between Grammy-winning DJ Black Coffee (Nkosinathi Innocent Maphumulo) and actress Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa is heading to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) this year, potentially resolving a dispute over their 2011 customary marriage that has dragged on for more than six years.
Black Coffee successfully obtained leave to appeal a Gauteng High Court ruling from October 2025, which validated the couple’s traditional Zulu marriage as in community of property. The decision invalidated their 2017 civil marriage – governed by an antenuptial contract excluding community of property – and granted Mlotshwa spousal maintenance.
The DJ has contested the validity of the customary union, arguing it was merely an engagement ceremony. Mlotshwa, however, presented evidence of full compliance with customary rituals, including family involvement and lobola negotiations.
Legal experts say the SCA’s upcoming hearing could set important precedents on the interplay between customary and civil marriages in South Africa. No exact hearing date has been confirmed yet.
The former couple, parents to two children, separated in 2019 amid highly publicised allegations.