First comes love, then a baby, then marriage…
THE MEETING
Lungani: It was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. She was walking in the Joburg CBD to buy groceries. I followed her, without her knowledge. I then waited at the door of her apartment. When she came back, she greeted me and my friend. I even said to him, 'You see, she greets.' I asked her if I could help her carry some of her items and she said, 'No.' [Taken aback], I then went back to go chill with my friend.
When she refused, I remember going back to my room and praying to God, asking him if she was the woman for me.
Mihle: I had just moved to Joburg after finishing my degree at Rhodes University. I was only three months into my internship. For me, the world had closed down on me. That day, I felt like going shopping, and when I came back, I saw a cute guy waiting by my apartment door. I refused because, as a girl, you don't just say 'Yes' the minute a guy gives you attention.
So, the next day the same thing happened; however, he looked nice, he was all dressed up. When I came back from the shops, he asked to carry my bags and I said, 'Yes.' I told him my name and the rest is history.
DATING LIFE
Mihle: Our dating life started in 2020. We went on a lot of dates and boom, we had a child; a beautiful baby girl came into our lives two years into our dating life. Because we had to focus on our child, things stopped being about dates but more on how we were going to navigate and balance it all.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Citizen
6 hours ago
- The Citizen
WATCH: Ntsiki Mazwai appeals for donations to pay legal costs
Mazwai lost a defamation case against DJ Euphonik in 2022 and was ordered to pay about R200 000 in legal costs. Poet and musician Ntsiki Mazwai has turned to her supporters for help in covering legal costs after losing her court case against DJ Euphonik. In 2022, Euphonik won a defamation case against Mazwai after she insinuated on X in 2020 that he was a rapist. The court ordered Mazwai to pay approximately R200 000 in legal costs. READ MORE: Ntsiki Mazwai: Court orders to pay large sums of money is a 'form of violence' The poet has since been struggling to settle the bill. On Tuesday, she shared her banking details and email address on X, pleading for donations. Ntsiki Mazwai: 'I promise to pass over that money' 'You saw my business being splattered in the streets. I'm going to put my email address on here. Anybody who wants to donate to the legal bills, I'm going to put my email address there,' Ntsiki said. Mazwai promised that all funds would be paid directly to her lawyers and offered to share their banking details with those willing to contribute. She added: 'Any Ntsiki Mazwai supporter who gets it and understands that my voice is our voice, and who wants me to continue to use my voice… I promise to pass over that money to those lawyers. Otherwise, you can email me, I can give you their banking details, and then you send me the proof of payment, and we keep it moving, guys. 'It doesn't have to be the end of the world. We're going to pay bit by bit and continue living our lives, continue building the MOYA podcast, continue building Nontsikelelo Mazwai, the future president of South Africa,' she said in the video. Mazwai urges Euphonik to drop court costs order In 2023, Mazwai reportedly wrote a letter to Euphonik's lawyers admitting she was wrong to call him a rapist and urging him to drop the cost order against her. According to Sunday World, Mazwai pleaded with the DJ to have mercy on her, saying she did not have the money to pay the costs. In the letter seen by the publication, Mazwai reportedly attributed her financial struggles to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying she was still trying to recover from its devastating impact. 'I am an artist, and this time of the year is not really one in which we are earning money. 'Also, we are coming off the back end of Covid, which annihilated our businesses. I am still at the stage where one has lost everything and is required to rebuild,' Mazwai said as quoted by the publication. NOW READ: Power FM 'duly accepted' Pabi Moloi's resignation

IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
Meren Reddy nets big laughs as the lead in the rib-tickling comedy ‘Lucky Fish'
Mayuri Naidu, Meren Reddy and Mekaila Mathys in a scene from the feel-good comedy, 'Lucky Fish'. Image: Supplied I knew of Meren Reddy from his 'City Ses'la' work as an executive producer and actor long before I met him at the launch of SABC3's 'High Rollers'. While unpacking the latter show, he revealed his innovative thinking as a creative and his ardent passion for storytelling. Fast forward several years, post the disruptive Covid-19 pandemic, it was awesome to reach out to Reddy again, this time to chat about 'Lucky Fish', a comedy feature where he wears the hats of co-writer with Craig Gardner, executive producer, as well as the film's lead, Sanjay Pillay. Reddy's admirable candour during our conversation was humbling, and I appreciated the trust he placed in me. Our several off-the-record deviations will, of course, remain confidential. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The film's title is a tribute to the canned fish, which is deeply ingrained in both Indian and coloured culinary traditions. The feel-good comedy centres on a small-town sardine-canning company owner, facing financial troubles, who sponsors a beauty pageant as a publicity stunt. He is joined by his twin sister, Samantha (Mayuri Naidu) and a motley group of beauty queen hopefuls. On how 'Lucky Fish' came to fruition, Reddy took me back to where it all began. He said: This is gonna be a long rambling, but I think, a very significant thing to say, Craig Gardner, who is a writer-director who created 'Suburban Bliss', and the creator of 'City Ses'la', coming together to write a movie. I'm just giving you a context of the two brains behind it.' 'So around 2006, I didn't know who Craig was (at the time), he did a pilot called 'Miss Pilchards' with Stephen Francis, who is the cartoonist for 'Madam & Eve', for M-Net that is completely different to what the movie is now. It was sort of a mockumentary at that point, and it was going to be a television show.' After getting to work with Gardner, who directed 'Scandal' circa 2009 - 2010, where Reddy had a few acting stints, they got to get to know each other better and appreciated each other's sense of humour. Fast forward to 2017, Gardner reached out to Reddy, asking him to take a look at the pilot as they were offered to buy the rights back. Reddy shared: 'And this thing was like two white people who were trying to put on a pageant, and, at one point, Leon Schuster was involved in the pilot, and it was a mess. No offence to Craig, but the core of it was not necessarily available to me. 'But the one thing that I did say to him was, you have no idea how significant tinfish is to an Indian community. So we are going to take this thing now if we go into a deal together and write this thing, and I'm going to drive this thing forward. We're going to adjust the entire thing, and the guy who owns a tinfish company is going to be the focus of the thing. 'He was like, great. And so it was from that that this whole thing was born. So we've written the thing between 2017 and 2024. It took seven years to get there. It's not because we're incapable writers. It was because nobody wanted to give us the money. Like, you know, you get to 2019, 2020, Covid hits.' Meren Reddy wears the hat of co-writer, actor and executive producer on 'Lucky Fish'. Image: Supplied Despite making a strong case around there being a market for this film, using the encouraging numbers of 'The Kandasamys', 'Material', 'Kings of Mulberry Street and 'Three Days to Go' as examples, it was difficult to get someone to back the project. Reddy admitted it was like 'yelling into thunder'. Fortunately, a woman higher up on the ladder at a prominent local streaming platform saw the potential of the film. However, she was overruled by her peers. When she moved to an international streaming platform, she revisited their earlier conversation and managed to get a license agreement before the company pulled out of SA. Reddy expressed his gratitude to the individual, whom he felt best not to name, acknowledging her crucial role in bringing the film to fruition. During his five-week residency at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles last year, he also held online meetings to help finalise the cast in the movie, which is directed by Joshua Rous. Interestingly, he never planned on playing the lead. Reddy recalled: 'I wrote the movie for another actor. But they (the streaming platform) got a hold of my IMDB profile and were pushing for me to play the lead, and I kept trying to convince them that I had written it for somebody else. 'The last time I acted was in 'Trackers' in 2019.' To avoid jeopardising the project, he agreed and rewrote the script as he couldn't pull off a 'really authentic thick Indian accent'. While he always had Naidu in mind to play his sister, he sang the praises of casting director Susan Rossouw, who helped find an amazing ensemble cast. 'It wasn't just the casting brief that she sent out. She started finding people in the community, people who aren't represented, specifically from the Durban cast members. And we found some gems that are kind of on the fringes of our industry, but not like front and centre,' he added. Of course, bagging industry heavyweights Jailoshini Naidoo (Arusha Budhoo) and Jack Devnarain (Melvin Moodley) were a coup. That this film was shot in Phoenix was a bit deal for them, too, as it is unprecedented for homegrown offerings. Overall, Reddy says the film will be enjoyed by a crossover audience. At the moment, he has a few projects on the go, some of which are partnerships with his production house, Ghost Sheep Productions. He has also been approached to write 'Disaster Holiday 2' for Burnt Onion Productions. A sharp mind and disruptive creative, Reddy is gung-ho about leaving indelible footprints with an upcoming international venture. ∎ 'Lucky Fish' is showing at cinemas nationwide.

TimesLIVE
13-08-2025
- TimesLIVE
Oprah, Bontle, Don Cheadle and more: 10 celebs who took decades to get to the altar
When the question of Cristiano Renaldo and Georgina Rodriguez's engagement came up on her Netflix reality show, the footballer's response that he was waiting for " that click" sent fans and viewers into a frenzy about when he would finally pop the question. This week they left the internet abuzz following the announcement of their engagement on Instagram after being together for nine years. Here's a look at celebs who took their time to say "I do". BONTLE MODISELLE AND PRIDDY UGLY A love story fit for the modern age, Modiselle and her rapper beau became a couple thanks to their shared love for dancing. In an interview with Insider SA, the couple shared Priddy had noticed Modiselle on SABC 1's competition show Jika Majika. He would pursue her at hip-hop events, kicking off a 10-year relationship until they wed. ALESSANDRA AMBROSIO AND JAMIE MAZUR Like many couples on the list, Ambrosio and Mazur spent a long time engaged, 10 years to be exact. Their relationship began in 2005, according to reports, but hit splitsville in 2018. JOHN CORBETT AND BO DEREK While many fans might know John Corbett for his role as the on and off boyfriend of Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw, he has been in love with his actress wife Bo Derek since 2002. They made it official after 18 years with a wedding at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We're pretty private people. We didn't make an announcement,. All our friends and family knew but this is the first time either one of us has said anything publicly about it because we haven't had an opportunity," he said in an interview on the daytime show The Talk. Corbett said the two met as dates set up for the Oscars in 2002 by his agent at the time. MICHELLE YEOH AND JEAN TODT Blending the glitz of Hollywood and fast-paced action of Formula 1, Yeoh and Todt made an exciting couple to follow. Their mostly private lives have kept them out of the limelight and with little pressure to push things forward on a wedding. In 2004, Yeoh was engaged to Todt and they got married in July 2023. Their love story was shared on their wedding programme. INDIA HICKS AND DAVID FLINT WOOD As a bridesmaid at Princess Diana and Prince Charles' wedding, all eyes have been on Hicks and Wood since they started dating in 1995. In an Instagram post, Hicks said they had made plans to wed in 2020, but due to the pandemic, they kept postponing, making the eventual walk down the aisle a 26-year wait. TINA TURNER AND ERWIN BACH While Tina is best known for her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner, she did move on to find a healthier relationship with producer Erwin Bach. Speaking in the Tina documentary, Bach said he met her at Düsseldorf Airport in Germany when her manager, Roger Davies, asked Bach to fetch her. It would take 27 years before they married in 2013. DON CHEADLE AND BRIDGID COULTER In another pandemic wedding, Cheadle and Coulter finally tied the knot after being together for close to 30 years. The private couple said they never saw the point of a wedding since they were in love, and while their proposal was more a formal decision, it was the first year they met that had the magic, according to Cheadle. "Just me and her and our kids and our dogs," he told People Magazine. JOY BEHAR AND STEVE JANOWITZ Comedian and talk show host Behar has long shared her unapologetic opinions on stages and social media. The straight shooter's marriage, however, was extremely unconventional. She confessed they met at a semi-nudist colony on her show The View. It took the pair 30 years to get hitched at a private ceremony in 2011. Behar said: "If he was going to get down on one knee, I wanted it to be during the time when he could still get up from one knee." OPRAH WINFREY AND STEDMAN GRAHAM Perhaps one of the most infamous relationships and engagements, Winfrey and Graham have had many tabloid and wedding magazines waiting to see what the billionaire Queen of Media would wear and do for her big day. They met in 1986 and got engaged in 1992. It was only in 2017, after fake news that the two had eloped that Winfrey revealed they felt an official marriage "requires a different way of being in this world".