Donell Mbele, Son of Sonia Mbele, Appears in Court on Rape Charges

Donell Mbele, son of actress Sonia Mbele, appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 20 January, facing two counts of rape. The charges follow allegations from his former partner, who accused him of rape earlier this month. The Citizen reports that the ex-partner shared her version of events on Instagram, claiming the assault took place on the night of 14 December and into the early morning hours of 15 December last year.

Phindi Mjonondwana, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), told Newzroom Afrika that the case was ready for court. “The docket was previously brought to the NPA, but we could not enrol the matter. We instructed the police to carry out certain investigations, and once those investigations were concluded, the docket was brought back to us for a decision. Today, we felt that the matter is court-ready,” Mjonondwana explained.

This court appearance is not the first for Donell. In 2022, he faced charges for physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, Reokeditswe. Following that incident, Sonia Mbele expressed her full support for Reokeditswe, and revealed that she had sent her son to rehab for professional help.

“I did not see this coming. They had been together for a while, and they were so close and in love. Immediately when this happened, I sat them both down and decided to send my son away to get help,” Sonia said.

As a survivor of abuse herself, Sonia Mbele made it clear that she does not tolerate or condone any form of abuse. “From the age of 17 to 26, I was with a man who was abusive physically, psychologically, and emotionally. I’m mentioning this so that you understand that, as a woman who has suffered ALL kinds of abuse, I do not stand for, support, or condone such behaviour,” she added.

[WATCH] 23-year-old Donelle Mbele appears in court facing two counts of rape. The allegations stem from an incident shared by his girlfriend on social media. #Newzroom405 @NqobileMadlala_ pic.twitter.com/qXJxBV3Z6B

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 20, 2025

[WATCH] 23-year-old Donelle Mbele appears in court facing two counts of rape. The allegations stem from an incident shared by his girlfriend on social media. #Newzroom405 @NqobileMadlala_ pic.twitter.com/qXJxBV3Z6B

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 20, 2025