According to The South African, reality TV star Lexi van Niekerk, popularly known as Lexi Van, has confirmed her breakup with Big Brother Mzansi season one winner Mandla Hlatshwayo. The couple, who had been together for over a decade, share two young sons.
Lexi and Mandla became household names in 2014 when they met on Big Brother Mzansi. Their romance quickly captured viewers’ attention, and they later starred in a Mzansi Magic reality show that followed their lives after the show ended.
Now, after years together, Lexi has officially confirmed that their relationship has come to an end. Taking to the X app, formerly known as Twitter, she shared her thoughts about the breakup.
“I think I’ll always love my ex,” she posted, speaking about Mandla. However, when a follower asked if she was still in love with him, she simply responded, “Nope.”
Despite their split, many fans still support the couple. One fan tweeted, “Your love story was beautiful. I’m still Mandlexi and Lexified though. Wish you both well. May you find peace and healing, Lexi.” Lexi liked the post, suggesting that she appreciated the kind words.
Speculation about their breakup had been circulating for some time. Earlier this month, Lexi hinted at the end of their relationship with a heartfelt post on X.
She wrote:
“FINALLY walking away from something that you THOUGHT would work out. Investing every ounce of self, hope, and belief, and then getting disrespected, lied to, gaslit, and betrayed, is prob the most f**ked up thing I’ve endured in a long while. But let me gather my crazy self and heal.”
In another post, she added, “574 weeks. I’m done!” This statement led fans to believe that the relationship had been strained for some time.
According to social media users, Lexi and Mandla had a heated argument during an Instagram Live session, during which Lexi allegedly accused Mandla of not supporting the family financially.
After winning Big Brother Mzansi season one, Mandla used his prize money to buy a house for his family. However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, financial struggles forced him to sell the home.
These days, Mandla is focused on running his business, where he buys, repairs, and sells second-hand cars. He has largely stayed out of the public eye but has expressed his ongoing commitment to providing for his children.
“I do aspire to be in the media space, but it was never part of the plan. As much as I don’t want to be out there in public, I have to do anything to make sure my kids get everything that they need,” he told Sunday World.
I think I'll always love my ex.
— Lexi Van (@van_lexi) March 23, 2025FINALLY walking away from something that you THOUGHT would work out. Investing every ounce of self, hope, belief, and then getting disrespected, lied to, gaslit, & betrayed is prob thee most fucked up thing, I've endured in a long while. But let me gather my crazy self& heal. 😊
— Lexi Van (@van_lexi) March 16, 2025574 weeks.
I'm done!
— Lexi Van (@van_lexi) March 16, 2025
