South African singer Zoe Mthiyane has opened up about her relationship with Grammy award winning producer, Lebo M.
Image: System
Actress and singer Zoe Mthiyane has spoken candidly about her past relationship with Grammy Award-winning producer and composer Lebo M (Lebohang Morake), describing the experience as deeply painful and alleging that she ignored warning signs at the start of their romance.
Speaking on the "Engineer Your Life with Lungelo M" podcast, Mthiyane reflected on how the relationship began while she was living in Australia.
According to the actress, Lebo M pursued her intensely, travelling between South Africa and Australia every two weeks in an effort to win her over.
Although she was initially hesitant, Mthiyane said his persistence and public image convinced her to give the relationship a chance.
“I went against my gut. My gut kept saying no. He looked good on paper. This makes sense,” she said.
The former "Generations" actress explained that she ultimately persuaded herself to pursue the relationship despite her reservations.
During the interview, Mthiyane spoke extensively about narcissistic behaviour and the impact she believes it had on her life.
While discussing her personal experiences, she described how what she considered “love bombing” at the beginning of the relationship later gave way to controlling behaviour.
“They will lovebomb you, and you will think this is my knight in shining armour. That’s what I felt,” she said.
Mthiyane revealed that her family advised her not to return to South Africa, but she chose to do so anyway.
“Big mistake. I landed, and shortly after, what a narcissist does, they begin to chop you down.”
She further alleged that her former partner spread false information about her and attempted to have her admitted to a rehabilitation centre, only for professionals to determine that she was not suffering from addiction.
The actress also opened up about her pregnancy with their daughter, claiming that her phone was often taken from her, making it difficult to communicate with loved ones.
As a result, she said she resorted to posting cryptic messages on Instagram to alert her family that something was wrong.
“They can’t reach me because he takes the phone, he keeps it on him. Luckily, my OBGYN booked me into therapy. That’s when I began to learn about mental illnesses. I was naïve to them.”
Mthiyane went on to allege that some individuals are skilled at presenting a carefully crafted public image that differs significantly from their private behaviour.
She also referenced Lebo M’s multiple marriages, claiming that he frequently moved from one relationship to another.
The producer has been married several times over the years.
The actress further revealed that she had warned actress Pretty Samuels about becoming involved with him.
“I told her, ‘Don’t believe him. You’re the new victim.’”
Although Mthiyane and Lebo M never married, the pair became engaged in December 2015.
However, they ended their engagement in May 2016 following reported disagreements over a prenuptial agreement.
The former couple share a daughter, Lulonke, who was born in 2015.
Mthiyane is also mother to a son, Awande, whom she shares with sports broadcaster Robert Marawa.
Lebo M has several children from previous relationships.