This year has left much to be desired for a lot of celebrities, with many wanting to end the year and start afresh in 2025. One couple which has had their fair share of a challenging year is former reality TV star Annie Ludick-Mthembu and her husband Kgolo "Daguru" Mthembu.

LOSING BUSINESS

The businessman is said to be encountering some trouble in business. This week, producer and DJ Bongz, real name Bongani Dlamini, announced that he had bought Viewz Urban Grill and Rooftop (formerly Views At Twenty5) in Durban, which was run by Kgolo. "Bongz rescued the place as it was going to completely shut down," a friend of a DJ working at the venue revealed. "Kgolo has been going through some challenges, and it only made sense to hand it over to a friend who is in the music business instead of a stranger."

In February, his staff members alleged they had not been paid salaries at his Durban nightclub after he was reported to have lost a lump sum of money from the business.

ROCKY START

This year did not start well for the businessman. Durban DJ, Wobbly, real name Andile Mahlinza, accused Kgolo of owing him for bookings and failing to pay after months of begging and pleading. Wobbly said he had tried his best to be understanding. "I have pulled up for you, getting loans from my friends just to get to your establishments to work, getting loans to survive from August and now I'm back home staying with my mom again as a 32-year-old father," he said. "It hurts me to do this but I've tried and tried to get answers about my payments for Rich and Views; till today I haven't received any communication from you because no one else has answers."

SAD MIDDLE

To add salt to the wound as he deals with financial issues, Kgolo lost the mother of his first-born, Gugu Phahla. "Dear Daughter, We have survived a lot of storms together. This too shall pass, and everything is going to be okay,' he said in a note to his daughter at the time.

BULLYING

Annie and her hubby couple has also fallen victim to much social media bullying. Annie has been shamed after a blogger exposed details of her troubled marriage, which she did not deny and opened up about how far she and her businessman partner have come. She addressed the cheating rumours after he was reported to be expecting a baby outside of his marriage. "There are evil, toxic, dangerous people who have a personal agenda against, in fact, who are out to destroy me,' Annie said. Annie and Kgolo blue-ticked us when we reached out for comments.