Ngema fined 39 cows
2003-02-01 22:46
Johannesburg - It never rains but pours for famous playwright Mbongeni Ngema. Fresh from his bankruptcy case which was recently heard in a Pietermaritzburg court, Ngema is now facing a hefty demand of 39 cows from the father of his other wife, Cebi Mpungose-Ngema.
Ngema is married to Leleti Khumalo and does no longer live with the Mpungose-Ngema.
Mpungose-Ngema, 29, whom the actor-playwright met when she was a teenager, is the daughter of Chief Cilongo Mpungose of the Mpungose clan in Ulundi.
Her family has told City Press Ngema dumped their daughter in New York five years ago. She was deported back to South Africa after being arrested as an illegal immigrant. Ngema refused to respond to the family's allegation.
A fuming Chief Mpungose now wants Ngema to pay 34 outstanding lobola cows and five more as an apology for "dumping my daughter in a foreign land".
Suffered a stroke
Mpungose-Ngema's sister, Nonhlanhla, a singer with popular Maskandi artist Mfiliseni Magubane, said: "Ngema will not get away with abusing my sister. He must take care of her." Mpungose-Ngema recently suffered a stroke that affected the left side of her body.
Said Nonhlanhla: "He robbed my sister of her virginity and made her a wife when she was just a child. Now he must take care of her. Cebi has no future anymore. She was forced to drop out from school at standard five.
Deported
"Cebi was arrested because she did not have a permit to stay permanently in the US. She was deported to South Africa in December."
Nonhlanhla also alleged Ngema used to assault her sister. Ngema is said to have paid 10 cows for lobola but the chief now wants the 34 which is the balance. To that he is adding another five as a fine for the "ill-treatment of my daughter".
Personal vendetta
Mpungose-Ngema's uncle, Senza Mbatha, who is a also a former close friend of Ngema, introduced Ngema to the Mpungose household in 1988.
He said this week Ngema had started a relationsip with Mpungose-Ngema when she was only 13. He said he does not want to talk to City Press because the paper has "a personal vendetta" against him. He also threatened to "deal" with the reporter if the story is published.
"I am not prepared to give you any interview, whether it is good or not, because you have a personal vendetta against me. I suggest you have a serious meeting with me to discuss our differences before things get ugly between us," said Ngema.