Media mogul and business maverick Basetsana Kumalo recently turned 50 years old and hosted a mammoth three-day birthday celebration in Cape Town. The soirée was attended by family, close friends, and business acquaintances. While many made the list, her alleged former best friends Savita Mbuli, Carol Bouwer and Khanyi Dhlomo did not make the guestlist.

CRACKING IT

Those who made the guest list include Tbo Touch and his wife Nandi Molefe, Zakes Bantwini and wife Nandi Madida, Lupi Ngcayisa, Simphiwe Majola, Josina Abiathar Muthemba Machel and Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, to name a few. The celebrations kicked off on Friday where Purple was the order of the day but the former Miss South Africa hosted a gratitude gala dinner themed ’Best Of Couture’ and on Sunday a thanksgiving picnic themed ’Floaty and Fun Pastel.’

GROWTH

According to a guest who attended the event, the three and several other former friends were snubbed due to an alleged fallout. "She has been friends with Savita for a long time. But the friendship reached its expiry date, I guess. You know, sometimes friendships end," the source reveals. "Khanyi on the other hand is a long story, but their fall-out is recent, and so is Carols." The source revealed that during his speech at the party, Bassie’s husband, Romeo, hinted that some people who were expected to attend were not at the party because his wife wanted to enter her 50s in peace and on a clean slate. "Those were not his exact words, but he said, she had moved on from certain friendships, without mentioning names." Khanyi, Carol, Basetsana, and Savita are said to have been friends for more than a decade. "It’s sad to see powerful and beautiful women of this calibre not get along. But we hope they mend things because there is more good than bad in those circles."