‘KFC couple’ still madly in love and still longing for dream honeymoon that was halted by Covid-19

‘We have love and we are in love with each other. We told ourselves that we will grow old together, with or without money,’ said Hector Mkansi, whose proposal in a KFC story to Nonhlanhla Soldaat went viral.

22 December 2021 - 07:00
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Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat have shared how after the wedding everything changed as they had to go back to living their normal lives.
Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat have shared how after the wedding everything changed as they had to go back to living their normal lives.
Image: Supplied

A couple who won the hearts of South Africans after their wedding proposal at a KFC outlet in 2019 say they plan to grow old together, despite their financial challenges.

The proposal, which trended on Twitter in SA and globally, captured the imagination of thousands and saw ordinary citizens and big corporates pledge towards making their dream wedding a reality.

Contributors to the wedding included retail giants, clothing brands and luxury car companies.

But the dream highs quickly receded.

The unemployed Vaal couple — Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat — have shared how after their wedding everything changed as they had to go back to living their normal lives.

“I am still unemployed. We are still living our normal life though it’s difficult because people know us as the ‘KFC couple’ and they think we have money and have big houses and stuff. We are still living in poverty. We live in an RDP house that is normal. It also becomes difficult to walk in the community, because when everyone looks at us, they think we have money,” said Mkansi.

Despite their financial woes, the couple is still very much in love and plans to grow old together.

“When someone loves you they become patient with you. We have love, and we are in love with each other. We told ourselves that we will grow old together, with or without money.

“Yes, we do experience some difficulties along the way, but that doesn’t make us split. When she found me, she found me without money. She is a blessing to me — for me to find someone who understands my life because I didn’t lie to her, I told her that I wasn’t working and that I didn’t know if I will ever work,” he said.

With their two-year anniversary approaching, the couple is still thankful for the love that South Africans have shown them.

“We thank SA so much. I don’t know what I can do for the people of Mzanzi. We thank you,” he said.

Soldaat had told TimesLIVE that she wanted to feel like a princess on their special day on December 31, 2019.

“It was all that we wished for and everything went well.,It was beautiful, if it was possible for me to repeat that moment I would repeat it,” she said at the time.

Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat say they will grow old together.
Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat say they will grow old together.
Image: Supplied

The couple was offered a honeymoon adventure in the US by one of the sponsors, but sadly they haven’t been able to go  due to Covid-19.

“We are just hoping that when it passes they will continue to sponsor us. It was painful because they closed when we were supposed to go, then it was lockdown in March. It was painful because we are not sure if we will still go,” Soldaat said.

Soldaat said after the wedding life went back to normal, except they were now well known.

“From January, after the wedding, life went back to normal besides that people now knew us. When they came across us at malls they got excited, but our lives never changed. After the wedding we went back to live the life that we were used to,” she said.

Sharing their story with TimesLIVE in 2019, the couple said they had met in 2010.

Mkansi introduced Soldaat to his family and started paying lobola the same year, though he struggled to put the money together.

Speaking on their plans for the new year, Mkansi said his wish was to spend it with his family in Mpumalanga, but they are having financial challenges and are unable to finance their trip back home.

“I left my home on December 28 last year and I haven’t been back since . This is my second December not being able to go home because of not having money. When I leave I have to take my wife and child along.

“I am still trying to put money together so we can spend Christmas with our family. If I was able to get a driving job that would be good, I can do driving jobs,” he said.

Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat won many South African hearts following their wedding proposal at a KFC outlet in 2019 which trended on Twitter in SA and globally.
Hector Mkansi and Nonhlanhla Soldaat won many South African hearts following their wedding proposal at a KFC outlet in 2019 which trended on Twitter in SA and globally.
Image: Supplied

Soldaat said they have no plans for their anniversary as they don’t have the financial means.

“We haven’t planned anything. Maybe next time we will have plans. For now, we don’t have any,” she said.

Soldaat said she was overwhelmed by the love of South Africans.

“We didn’t know or realise that even when people don’t know you, they can still give you love, and even today we still appreciate SA as a whole. We appreciate everyone, including people who retweeted, liked and commented so that the video went viral. We are still thankful, even today. There are those who when we meet they still ask to take pictures with us, and we are always willing because we have seen love through them,” she said.

TimesLIVE


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