Beauty sues Doc for R2m

2003-02-01 22:36

Mandla Zulu

Johannesburg - Doctor Khumalo, the Kaizer Chiefs wonder boy and darling of African soccer, could be in deep trouble with a glamorous woman who claims he promised to marry her but later got cold feet.

Khumalo could soon be facing a R2m lawsuit from Cynthia Mbanjwa, a dark and sassy KwaZulu-Natal woman now based in New York.

In 2001 she was nominated Revlon's Absolutely Fabulous Woman and also won the Presidential Award in Youth Empowerment.

In an interview with City Press, Mbanjwa said she had sold the story to an international newspaper.

Khumalo has, however, denied even knowing Mbanjwa at all and says the girl is using his name because he is famous.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I'm not aware that I'm being sued and I don't even know that person. You know when you are successful in life, people will say many things to destroy you. I'm not worried about this because I'm used to it," said Khumalo.

Mbanjwa allegedly met Khumalo in Johannesburg while visiting a friend in Sandton and the two fell in love.

R2m for breach of promise

But the affair ran into problems at the end of last year when Khumalo would not budge on marriage, Mbanjwa's friends say. Mbanjwa, City Press has learnt, is seeking R2m for the alleged breach of promise. She confirmed to City Press that she was suing Khumalo but refused to give details, saying an international newspaper has secured exclusive rights to the story. An angry Mbanjwa insisted that she had an affair with Khumalo. Her claim was confirmed by her friends. Mbanjwa's friend, who declined to be named, said she was surprised by Khumalo's denial as they used to go to parties together.

"Doctor can say whatever he wants, I don't care. I'm not stupid, I'm really not. It's nonsense that he says I'm claiming all this because he is a successful person.

Denies blackmail

"He is not the only successful person. There are lots of people who are even more successful than him," said a fuming Mbanjwa. She denied that she was blackmailing Khumalo.

Mbanjwa shot to fame when she was nominated Revlon's Absolutely Fabulous Woman in 2001. In that same year she won the Presidential Award in Youth Empowerment for her counselling of pregnant and raped teenagers.

She also won the award for her courage in disclosing that she had cervical cancer at the age of 16.

This week Mbanjwa told City Press the story can only run after it has appeared in the international newspaper, which she refused to name. She threatened to sue City Press if we ran the story.

- City Press