Sello Maake kaNcube and his wife Pearl Mbewe-Maake kaNcube are said to have been involved in a real-life drama at the Grahamstown Arts Festival in the Eastern Cape over a week ago. Sello was in Grahamstown to perform in the stage play The Suit, which he had previously appeared in 30 years ago at the Market Theatre. 

According to a close source who was also present at the festival and stayed in the same hotel, the Ncubes started fighting after coming back from the festival, and there was screaming and cursing. "Pearl was screaming and swearing at Sello. The next morning, she appeared with a black eye and broken lips," the source said. The source added, "The situation is so bad that Sello left his wife behind while she was suffering from pain after the altercation. We don't know the reason for the latest fight."

According to the sources with information about the celebrity couple, the Ncubes always put up a united front when they are in public but behind closed doors, they fight like teenagers apparently, according to the source.

ZiMoja learned that Pearl came back home a day after she was left alone in the Eastern Cape by her husband. "She had to make means to fly back to Jozi on her own and find her way home from the airport," said the source. Another source alleged that Sello feels trapped in the marriage because Pearl is managing him and has managed to bring him good deals. "That man feels trapped in that marriage because Pearl knows a lot about him and she has people who will always clean her image while portraying him as a villain," added the source. Called for comment, a fuming Pearl said: "Why is it that every time something is happening between my husband and I, there are sources who are telling you our problems." She also claimed that at the time we called, they were sitting together but declined a video call to let us speak to Sello. "You know the kind of husband I am married to won't allow that," she said. Sello ignored our calls and text messages.