Life has taken a dramatic downturn for Thabiso Makhubela, the once-celebrated former presenter of SABC 3’s Expresso. According to ZiMoja, Makhubela’s circumstances have significantly deteriorated since his abrupt dismissal from the show last December.
Insiders reveal that Makhubela was let go after being caught with what appeared to be cocaine on set. “We were all shocked because none of us saw that coming. We knew he was confident in his job and life in general. Little did we know the source of that confidence,” said a former colleague, reflecting the collective surprise of the team.
Following his dismissal, Makhubela’s personal life spiralled out of control. A close family member disclosed that his boyfriend, a politician, initially tried to support his recovery. However, Makhubela’s struggles with addiction intensified, leading to an arrest for shoplifting—a desperate attempt to fund his drug habit.
In a bid to salvage the situation, Makhubela’s sister flew to Cape Town late last year to bring him back home to Hammanskraal. Unfortunately, the homecoming only led to further turmoil. According to sources, Makhubela became increasingly agitated, lashing out at his sisters and neighbours. This erratic behaviour resulted in multiple assaults and property damage, prompting neighbours to involve the police.
“First, he assaulted his neighbors and damaged their property. They opened a case, and the police arrested him,” one source recounted. Despite being released on a warning, Makhubela repeated the same offenses, this time assaulting his sister, which led to another arrest. “The police took him because he kept on repeating the same crime. The magistrate was made aware that he is a drug addict,” the source added.
Currently, Makhubela remains in custody, awaiting a court appearance where he hopes to be granted bail. His former boss from Cardova Productions, Patience Stevens, has refused to comment on the matter due to legal reasons.