Sello Maake kaNcube and Pearl Mbewe were once celebrated as one of South Africa’s most beloved celebrity couples, but their marriage has taken a dramatic and painful turn. Recently, Sello served Pearl with a protection order, sparking a series of explosive accusations from both sides.
According to Sello, he handed Pearl the protection order, but her reaction was fierce. “She took the protection order, read it, and threw it on the floor saying she is not going to sign it. Then told me she will ‘show me a ghost,’” Sello told TshisaLIVE.
Pearl responded, saying she was shocked and needed time to process everything. She described Sello as “a jealous man” and “controlling.” She claimed, “I’m the one who said to him, I need a breather. He woke me up naked in my bedroom. I woke up and these men were having a field day in my house.”
Their relationship issues have reportedly been brewing for some time. The couple, who married in 2021, have been living separately since last July. Sello stated that they agreed Pearl would live in their home in Blue Valley, Centurion, while he remained in Soweto until he finished paying her lobola (bride price).
Sello shared with TimesLIVE that he tried to make the marriage work but felt trapped in “a life of hell.” He described Pearl as “controlling” and admitted he had been unhappy for the past four years. “I tried to make this marriage work in fear that people will judge me … I’ve been dealing with so much hell in this relationship,” Sello said.
Pearl, on the other hand, said Sello was trying to control the narrative by managing their social media presence, creating an image of a “happily married” couple when that wasn’t true. “She was managing the social media, and I was presented as someone who was happily married when actually I lived a life of hell,” Sello shared.
As divorce proceedings loom, Pearl has reportedly insisted on her share of the assets, including their Blue Valley home and one of the two cars. “I am married to this man with accrual, so everything he owns is mine and his. We’ve got two cars, a Porsche and a Mercedes,” she said.
The breakdown in their marriage also includes accusations of infidelity. Sello reportedly suspected Pearl of being romantically involved with Lebo Keswa, who denied any sexual relationship with Pearl and dismissed Sello’s claims as “delusional.”
Allegations of abuse have also surfaced, with both parties offering different versions of the events. Pearl claims to bear a permanent scar from an altercation in the Eastern Cape, while Sello denies ever physically hurting her. He alleges that she became aggressive and that her injuries were due to a fall after she’d been drinking. Sello has also shared images of his hand, which he claims Pearl bit during an argument over car keys. “She physically bit me,” he said, though Pearl dismissed his version of events and insisted she has proof to back her side of the story
