South African media personality Minenhle “Minnie” Dlamini found herself at the center of a social media storm this week when she playfully poked fun at her ex-boyfriend, Itumeleng “Itu” Khune, for his age and continued soccer career as he approaches 40.
Little did she know, her lighthearted comment would trigger a backlash from Khune’s fans, who accused her of harbouring jealousy over his successful career and marriage.
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Thankfully, Podcast and Chill host Sol Phenduka came to Minnie’s defense, addressing the situation on X.
Phenduka emphasized that in the entertainment industry, jests about public figures are commonplace and should not be taken too seriously. He urged critics to ease up on Minnie, highlighting the mutual exchange of humor prevalent in the industry.
However, this isn’t the first time Minnie has faced scrutiny. Recently, she made headlines due to her divorce from Quinton Jones, with reports circulating that her ex-husband was allegedly seeking R10,000 per month in spousal support. The dissolution of their seemingly perfect union fueled discussions across South Africa.
Minnie’s past connection with Khune also added fuel to the fire. Rumors of a R1 million lobola offer from Khune years ago had already caused tension between them.
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Minnie’s recent on-air jest about Khune’s potential retirement and continued involvement with Kaizer Chiefs reignited those tensions, leading to accusations of bitterness from Khune’s fans.
Despite the backlash, Phenduka’s defense echoed the sentiment that humor is an integral part of the entertainment industry, and everyone, including Minnie, should be fair game for playful banter. As social media buzzed with reactions, commenters on X laughed off the situation, with some expressing disbelief at the intense scrutiny of Minnie’s casual joke. One commentator even remarked on the pitfalls of making jokes in the age of Twitter, while another recognized the potential for harmless jests to escalate into widespread controversy.