Zoe Mthiyane, a renowned actress, opened up about her past relationship with Lebohang “Lebo M” Morake. The two met while touring with the production of The Lion King. Lebo M, an internationally acclaimed producer and composer, and Zoe dated for a while and had a daughter together.
Despite being engaged, their relationship took a turn for the worse in 2016. Zoe shared that they fell out of love, marking the end of their romantic journey together.
In the fifth episode of Unfollowed on Showmax, Zoe revealed to host Thembekile Mrototo that her character Zitha Langa on Generations: The Legacy was inspired by her ex, Lebo M. She explained that her character was abusive towards Smanga (played by Moopi Mothibeli), and she drew from her personal experiences with Lebo M to portray this role.
The Public Breakup
Zoe recounted how Lebo announced the end of their engagement through a press release. He cited disagreements over a prenuptial agreement when their daughter Lulonke was only eight months old.
The breakup led to a public spat on social media, which eventually resulted in Lebo suing Zoe for R6m in a defamation suit in 2016. Zoe expressed her frustration over Lebo’s public criticism of her on various platforms.
Personal Struggles and Controversies
Zoe found herself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons when she was arrested for drunk driving in December 2019. She made headlines again in October 2020 when she was fired from Generations: The Legacy.
Zoe alleged that she faced harassment from various quarters including the police, court, and journalists. She attributed this to her ex-partner’s influence and connections.
In response to the episode, Tshepo Mboni, COO of Till Dawn Entertainment and right hand to Lebo M, dismissed Zoe’s claims stating that “Mr M has no time for attention seekers.”