Black Coffee wins right to appeal ruling in long-running divorce battle with Enhle Mbali

Black Coffee set to continue divorce battle with Enhle Mbali

he long-running divorce dispute between award-winning DJ Black Coffee and actress Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa is set to return to court after the Supreme Court of Appeal granted the musician leave to appeal a key ruling that reshaped the legal status of their marriage.

After more than six years of litigation, the appeal marks a significant development in a case that has drawn sustained public attention due to the couple’s high profile.

Black Coffee, born Nkosinathi Maphumulo, is challenging aspects of an October 2025 judgment delivered by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, which ruled that the pair’s May 2011 customary marriage was valid and in community of property, while declaring their January 2017 civil marriage null and void.

The DJ disputes both findings and has now been granted the opportunity to argue his case before the SCA later this year.

Central to the appeal are two legal questions that remain sharply contested: whether a valid customary marriage ever existed between the parties, and whether the spousal maintenance awarded to Mlotshwa was justified.

Black Coffee maintains that the trial court erred in concluding that a customary marriage had been properly entered into, arguing that the evidence presented did not establish mutual consent as required under customary law.

He has also taken issue with the maintenance ruling, contending that there was no factual basis for awarding spousal support and that Mlotshwa’s financial needs were not sufficiently proven during the trial.

Mlotshwa has opposed the appeal, standing by the original judgment and insisting that the evidence demonstrated compliance with customary law requirements.

She argues that Black Coffee’s involvement in family negotiations and traditional rituals reflected clear consent to the marriage.

On the issue of maintenance, she maintains that the court correctly assessed her circumstances and financial needs when granting the order.

Legal analysts have noted that the SCA’s eventual ruling could extend beyond the personal dispute, potentially influencing how South African courts interpret customary marriages, particularly in cases where they overlap with civil marriages and antenuptial agreements.

As one of the most closely watched celebrity divorce cases in the country, the appeal ensures that public and legal scrutiny of the matter will continue, with the SCA’s decision expected to provide important clarity on the intersection of customary and civil marital law in South Africa.