TIMELINE | From tattoos to disappearing acts and a lavish lifestyle in Dubai — Khanyi and Kudzai’s five-year relationship ends

03 February 2025 - 12:11
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Kudzai Mushonga and Khanyi Mbau's relationship comes to an end.
Kudzai Mushonga and Khanyi Mbau's relationship comes to an end.
Image: Instagram/Khanyi Mbau

Khanyi Mbau and her beau Kudzai Mushonga have called it quits. 

From romantic gestures to a lavish lifestyle in Dubai and dramatic disappearing acts, the couple's relationship was a talking point on social media from the moment it was revealed.

Here is a timeline of their love:

Khanyi spotted with a wanted man?

The couple first caught many people's attention when they started posting pictures of each other on Instagram in early January 2021.

Social media detectives quickly identified her new man as a Zimbabwean millionaire and an alleged fugitive.

TshisaLIVE's Zimbabwean correspondent connected Kudzai to the country's “rich gangs” and the late Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure, who died in a road accident with three other people when his Rolls-Royce hit a tree. 

Kudzai was also said to be on the Zimbabwean police's wanted list. On June 13 2017 at age 25, Kudzai together with friends Tatenda Mandimutsira and Njabulo Ndebele became fugitives of the law. 

Khanyi and bae go public

Khanyi confirmed their romance in February 2021, following it up with pictures of her Valentine’s Day surprise consisting of 1,250 roses and Louis V goodies.

Khanyi gets a tattoo of her bae  

In March 2021 Khanyi debuted a tattoo of Kudzai's name on her hip.

“When you showed me before bedtime, I was in shock. Love you always. No going back. We will never end,” Kudzai wrote on his Instagram account, which has since been deactivated. 

Khanyi 'flees' Dubai, leaves Kudzai in tears

Weeks after showcasing couple goals on their timelines, on August 31 2021 South Africans were left concerned for Khanyi's safety after Kudzai said he had apparently not seen her since “dropping her off at the salon” while they were on holiday in Dubai.

Khanyi topped the trends list in SA after screenshots from Kudzai's Instagram detailing how “she's gone missing” went viral.

However, it turned out Khanyi had boarded a flight back to SA without telling Kudzai.

Khanyi reunites with beau after apology

In early September 2021 Kudzai issued an apology to Khanyi for publicising details of their private life after she disappeared.

He declared his love for her, which saw the couple reunite like nothing happened and continue living their “best couple goals” on social media.

Gushing over her beau  

After her debut on Young, Famous & African, Khanyi spoke of being in a loving relationship with Kudzai despite their seven-year age gap. 

In the last episode of season three, when giving Naked DJ advice about his relationship, the Metro FM DJ questions how he has not spoken to her for three months while she was portraying a happy relationship with Kudzai on social media, and Khanyi revealed she had burnout. 

Khanyi drops bombshell

On February 3 2025, Khanyi announced her five-year relationship with Kudzai had come to an end. 

The actress and reality TV star opened up about the reasons behind their breakup.

“He was a good guy, but he did some bad things,” she wrote.

“He tried everything he could to make it up to me. I did most of my grieving while we were together. I finally got the courage to leave. And of course I wish him the best.”



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