After years of ups and downs, glamorous socialite and actress Khanyi Mbau has officially confirmed her split from her boyfriend of five years, Zimbabwean businessman Kudzai Mushonga. Their relationship, often in the public eye, faced its most dramatic moment in 2021 when Khanyi abruptly left Kudzai in Dubai, flying back to South Africa without his knowledge. Despite reconciling shortly afterward—fueling speculation that their breakup was a publicity stunt—the couple has now parted ways for good.
Khanyi and Kudzai had relocated to Dubai for business, uprooting their lives, including Khanyi’s daughter, to settle into a luxurious lifestyle in towering skyscraper apartments. However, beneath the glossy exterior, the relationship was fraying. Khanyi revealed that the breakup followed a long period of internal healing. “He was a good guy, but he did some bad things,” she shared, adding that Kudzai had made efforts to mend the relationship. “I did most of my grieving while we were together. I finally got the courage to leave, and of course, I wish him the best.”
Kudzai, on the other hand, has been candid about his own struggles during their time together. He admitted to battling severe depression, feeling isolated and unloved despite their seemingly glamorous life in Dubai. “The only thing I had was Dubai views,” he confessed. “I was very depressed, I was dying inside… I gave up everyone, including my close friends and family, all for love. I gave it my all, but I was sinking into depression.”
While Khanyi has yet to disclose the full story behind the night she left Kudzai in Dubai, she made it clear that her mental health was the driving factor. “It was just a choice of needing to protect my mental health,” she explained. “I can’t function in this environment, let me go home. It was not out of anything else.” As both parties navigate life post-breakup, their story serves as a reminder that even relationships that appear perfect from the outside can be deeply complicated behind closed doors.
