Actress and producer clears the air after viral speculation ties her to Deputy President Mashatile’s luxury Cape Town mansion.
South African actress and Shaka iLembe executive producer Nomzamo Mbatha-Nxumalo has clapped back at explosive social media rumours.
The rumours linked her romantically to Deputy President Paul Mashatile. However, she produced evidence that she had independently booked the luxury Constantia mansion through Airbnb years ago. This booking was even completed before Mashatile became deputy president in 2023.
The drama erupted after an X (formerly Twitter) user, @sanelenkosiii, shared images of a R28.9 million Constantia property. The property was recently declared by Mashatile as his home.
The user paired it with a separate post of Nomzamo photographed at a property similar to it in Cape Town. This ignited talk that the award-winning actress was one of Mashatile’s alleged romantic partners.
“Deputy President Paul Mashatile has officially declared ownership of a R28.9 million mansion in the exclusive Constantia suburb of Cape Town. He used the mansion to give access to his side girlfriends for vacations,” read the viral tweet.
Fuel was added to the fire when Mashatile himself, under pressure to reveal his interests and assets, initially claimed that the Constantia home belonged to his son-in-law.
However, he later changed his statement and officially declared the mansion as his own. This was in parliament’s 2024 register of Members’ Interests.
That change in stance only further stirred speculation. Online sleuths pointed fingers at Nomzamo based on old vacation images from 2020 that surfaced online.
But the actress didn’t let the gossip go unchallenged.
In a decisive and dignified move, Nomzamo posted official Airbnb booking receipts from December 2020 to January 2021. These confirmed that she had rented the villa, known as Constantia Lodge, for a personal holiday. The documents included timestamps and transaction records. These clearly showed the stay was a private booking unrelated to Mashatile.
Her response was widely praised online, with one user commenting: “Sana, poor Nomzamo Mbatha had to scroll down and search for receipts from 2020. Imagine if ebengenazo umntanabantu.”
The timing of the social media storm was particularly awkward for the actress. She has consistently maintained a squeaky-clean public image while juggling her roles as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, actress and film producer.
The implication that she might have benefited from a political relationship threatened her brand. It also overshadowed her hard-earned professional accomplishments.
Her transparency in posting the Airbnb receipts was seen by many as a masterclass in reputation management. It served as a powerful way to shut down misinformation with factual proof.
The Constantia property, a sprawling luxury estate nestled in one of South Africa’s wealthiest suburbs, has recently come under increased public scrutiny. This scrutiny is due to Mashatile’s delayed asset declaration.
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The deputy president originally attempted to distance himself from the home, stating it belonged to his son-in-law.
However, his eventual admission that the mansion was indeed his own raised concerns over ethical conduct and transparency.
The internet frenzy that followed Mashatile’s property disclosure dragged Nomzamo’s name through the mud. This is something she wasn’t willing to tolerate silently.
Speaking to sources close to the actress, it’s understood that she views the situation as both “laughable” and “disheartening”, especially given the energy it took to prove her innocence in a non-existent scandal.
This is not the first time Nomzamo Mbatha has had to defend herself from public gossip. Her handling of this incident once again underscores her commitment to integrity and professionalism.
As one entertainment commentator noted:
“Nomzamo Mbatha isn’t just a star on screen; she’s a star in how she navigates fame. She knew the truth, came with receipts, and walked away with her reputation intact.”
With Shaka iLembe continuing its successful run and more international projects on the horizon, it’s clear that Nomzamo is focused on building her legacy.
She is not entertaining baseless rumours.