Miss Soweto organiser and Club 707 Panyaza owner Ralph Zikalala is single again after being divorced from his wife, Phumelele "Sweety" Twala. Zikalala married Twala at star-studded wedding at Ubuntu Kraal in Soweto, a stone throws away from the internationally acclaimed Vilakazi Street tourist destination. The couple, who divorced last year away from the prying media, have a 20-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter.
HE WAS MARRIED TO ZANDI NHLAPHO
Before marrying Phumelele, who was once a finalist in Miss Soweto, Zikalala was married to media personality and former model, Zandile Nhlapho-Zikalala. Zandile, was a winner of beauty pageants like Miss 707, Miss Sundowns, and Miss Orlando Pirates. The former Simunye continuity presenter was married to Zikalala for eight years. After divorcing the Soweto tycoon, Zandi got married to the late TV and radio personalty, Bob Mabena. Zikalala?s first wife, was Martha "Smarty" Zikalala, and a mother of his four children. On June 22 last year when it was Phumelele’s birthday, Ralph posted a picture of them and their two children during an outing at a restaurant. He wrote on his Facebook timeline: "Happy birthday to my beautiful wife Phumelelo "Sweety ", thank you for keeping the family warm and together in this difficult time" He has since stopped posting photos of himself and Phumelele since the divorce. Apart from organising famous beauty pageants for Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Miss Premier League, Mr and Miss Soweto, Soweto Awards, as well as Miss Lovely Legs, Zikalala was a popular music promoter in Soweto.
HE TRIED TO SAVE HIS MARRIAGE
A source said when the couple got married in 2010, it was a known fact that Phumelele’s father was not happy about his daughter getting married "to a man almost his age". The source added: "Phumelele?s mother was happy with the marriage because she saw her daughter securing the bag and her future."To be honest, Ralph was committed to Phumelele, hence their marriage lasted over 13 years last year. His days of being a lady’s man were over, but his wife had issues unresolved issues at home." The source said Ralph agreed to the divorce because he had tried his best to save the marriage. "Rest assured, Ralph is a good father to all his kids - the adult kids from his first wife and the young ones from Phumelele. "If families can intervene so that they can be back together, it will make a lot of sense because Phumelele isn?t a child anymore. She’s wife material and a good mother too," said the source. Our second informant who is in the entertainment industry, and has known Zikalala for many years, said the couple is known to have separated, but not officially divorced.
"Phumelele got a good life from Ralph. He literally groomed her to be the woman that she is. But check with the couple if they are still legally married or divorced," said the source.
