- A landmark Constitutional Court ruling on customary marriages in South Africa is set to impact DJ Black Coffee’s ongoing divorce appeal.
- The court declared antenuptial contracts signed after a customary marriage as invalid, deeming them postnuptial agreements requiring High Court approval.
- This ruling means Black Coffee’s marriage to ex-wife Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, in the absence of a valid contract, is classified as a community of property marriage.
- Black Coffee is appealing a 2025 Johannesburg High Court ruling that upheld his 2011 traditional Zulu wedding as a civil union and invalidated his subsequent antenuptial contracts.
The Constitutional Court’s decision has significant implications for customary marriages across South Africa, potentially reshaping legal precedents for numerous couples. For Black Coffee, whose divorce proceedings have been highly publicised, the ruling could determine the financial distribution of assets accumulated during his marriage to Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa. His legal team will now have to navigate this new judicial landscape as he prepares to take his appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
The case highlights the complexities arising from the intersection of traditional customs and civil law in South Africa. The Constitutional Court’s aim appears to be to protect the rights of parties in customary marriages, particularly regarding equitable asset distribution. The DJ’s appeal will test how this new ruling is applied to existing divorce cases, particularly those with a history of traditional and civil unions.
Timeline
- **January 21, 2026:** Constitutional Court rules antenuptial contracts signed after customary marriages are invalid.
- **January 21, 2026:** News breaks about the ruling’s potential impact on DJ Black Coffee’s ongoing divorce appeal.
- **Currently:** Black Coffee is preparing to take his divorce judgement appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Key Players
- **DJ Black Coffee (Nkosinathi Maphumulo):** Grammy Award-winning South African DJ, appealing his divorce judgement.
- **Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa:** Black Coffee’s ex-wife, involved in the divorce proceedings.
- **Constitutional Court of South Africa:** Issued the landmark ruling on customary marriages.
- **Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA):** Will now apply the Constitutional Court ruling to Black Coffee’s appeal.
