Khanyi

South Africa’s self-styled Queen of Bling, Khanyi Mbau, is making waves on social networking sites – because nude pictures of her are doing the rounds

Social networkers are buzzing with speculation over who could’ve posted the pics.

The pictures – which leave nothing to the imagination – are suspected to have been leaked by a jealous ex or anyone who has a score to settle with the socialite.

But others suspect it was Mbau who posted the pictures just to get more attention.

We gotta ask, though: does she really need more public attention?

Some comments are on Mbau’s hot bod and others are disgusted at the act.

Whoever posted them did not succeed in destroying the Queen of Bling’s confidence because she has been tweeting over the past couple of days.

These are some of her tweets:

“A Diva Never Dies!!!!! #QOB”

“Thru all the bad we still smile, we laugh for we hold no sorrow @thetruetee, smile – #QOB”

“This tragedy has helped me sift out the Silver from Da-sylva! Love u all that has shown me unwavering love #ubrewedme #QOB”

ANother of Khanyi's

Sowetan is reporting that SOUTH African soul music fans have in recent years fallen in love with Nigerian-born and France-based artist Bukola Elemide, popularly known by her stage name Asa (pronounced “Asha”).

And the widely travelled artist has returned the compliment.

Speaking to Sowetan from Paris she had many good things to say about South Africa and its energy and political history.

Having been to the country three times so far, she will headline this year’s Arts Alive Jazz on the Lake Concert at Zoo Lake on Sunday.

She first introduced her music to the South African audiences three years ago when she had just released her highly appreciated album, self-titled album Asa. Now she will introduce her second album, Beautiful Imperfection, to South African fans for the first time since it was released last year.

“Beautiful Imperfection basically represents the way I see life. The name came about from an interview I did about a year ago.

“I was asked to describe my life. And my reply was ‘Well, its really beautiful – but at the same time it’s imperfect. And what I realised from that is that I actually like the imperfection. I like the little surprises that life gives you because I feel it humbles you and makes you think’.”

Talking about her performance this Sunday she promised her South African fans a good time.

“I am so happy I have fans in South Africa. I love the country so much. The thing about music is that it has a universal appeal beyond the narrow confines of colour and nationality.

South African songstress Lira has opted against performing in the United States in favour of showing her support for Nelson Mandela.

Lira was due to fly to Washington DC this week for a memorial concert for Martin Luther King Junior, but the 32-year-old has now pledged her support to Madiba by opting to launch ’46664 Apparel’ instead.

“It was a clash of cons but I had to go with Madiba,” Lira said.

“I could have asked to be released from the 46664 event and forfeited the deposit, but I did not want to favour an international icon above our very own Madiba.”

Robert Mugabe has rewarded Big Brother Africa winner Wendall Parson for his achievements on the reality show.

Zimbabwean Parson recently walked away as joint-winner of the show with Nigerian Karen Igho – with the duo handed $200 000 in prize money each.

Mugabe felt Parson did the country proud and awarded the 23-year-old $50 000 for his efforts.

The 87-year-old Zimbabwe president insists the cash was collected from various businesses and believes Parson worked hard for his achievements.

“I do not know the goings-on in that house,” Mugabe told AFP.

“The 91 days are meant to test you in terms of the capacity you have, the strength, the power you have physically. And indeed the strength and power you have intellectually.”

Mugabe also rewarded fellow Zimbabwean housemate Vimbai Mutinhiri with $10 000.

Nonhle

Nonhle Thema will no longer be a presenter on DStv youth channel, Vuzu. She hosted the daily entertainment news show V Entertainment on the channel. Nonhle Thema earlier tweeted: “Damn. My breakup with Vuzu feels like a divorce. Damn but it had to be done. I love them to much to keep hurting them (sic).”

This has been confirmed by head of Vuzu channel.  Nonhle Thema is quoted as saying: “It has been great being a part of Channel O and Vuzu, but it’s time to move on. I will always have fond memories of the shows and people I worked with and look forward to a bright future for me and the channels. We need to keep on growing.”

No reason was given by Vuzu or Nonhle Thema for the split.

Nonhle also tried her hand at her own reality show which was filmed in 2010, Nonhle Goes to Hollywood, which was broadcast earlier this year which critics and viewers pounced on Nonhle Thema’s reality television endeavour and savaged the show for its production values.

In the last months fans and viewers noticed a personality shift within Nonhle Thema, and observers started speculating about a possible social media meltdown.

Candice

South African supermodel Candice Boucher has refused to pose naked for South Africa’s Playboy magazine.

The Playboy August edition opted for a very local theme, and Candice’s shoot for the US edition, which took place in the African wild, seemed like a logical fit. Readers of the local mag have also voiced their desire to see the spread.

Playboy sent Candice’s agent a copy of a conservative cover idea, which showed only her face, along with a photo essay featuring the spread. However, according to reports, her agent declined, as publishing the images in South Africa would not suit her image in the country.

Editor-in-Chief Charl du Plessis said the fact that the international model did not feel comfortable showing off her international photo shoot locally because she might be put under pressure by sections of the society went a long way to reveal “how far we have to go towards calling ourselves a mature society”.

Playboy has, naturally, decided to honour her wishes, and the August edition will instead feature Lizzy Jagger.

GP gang

South African singer Thwala, 24, better known to his fans as “Nsimbi”, allegedly kidnapped his girlfriend, Nelisiwe Dube, and forced her to smoke drugs a day after being released on bail for allegedly assaulting her and damaging her house.

Warrant Officer Kay Makhubele said Thwala’s application for bail in the latest matter was denied and he would remain in custody.

After appearing in court on July 4 and being released on bail Thwala, who performs with the group GP Gangsta, apparently fetched 19-year-old Dube from her house on July 5, and took her to his house in Soweto.

There he allegedly kepther in a room and forced her to smoke drugs at gunpoint, Makhubele said.

Dube claimed to have escaped through a window and alerted the police while Thwala was on the phone. Police arrested him at his house in Zola soon after.

“Both cases against him will now be melted together because his girlfriend is the alleged victim in both,” Makhubele said.

Thwala faces charges of assault, malicious damage to property, kidnapping and pointing a firearm.

According to the GP Gangsta website, Thwala is a co-founder of the group that consists of three Soweto artists.

SowetanLive also reports that He is also an executive member of Brown Bottle Entertainment and is described as the “most delinquent” member of the group because of his lyrics.

In 2003 GP Gangsta released its debut album Gangsta Gangsta, which featured the songs Zola till I die and Brand new day.

It was nominated for the Channel O Awards in the best hip-hop and best newcomer categories.

Fana and Brad

Johannesburg – South African actors are making their mark on the international acting scene, as three more announce their involvement in big-budget foreign productions.

The latest actor to take his craft abroad is former Generations and Hotel Rwanda actor Fana Mokoena, who announced that he was to going to star alongside Brad Pitt in a zombie film.

Mokoena wrote on his Twitter page: “Today I travel to the UK to shoot World War Z with Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos and Anthony Mackie. SA will be proud.”

The film is based on Max Brooks’s 2006 novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, which is set in the American city of Philadelphia in the aftermath of a war between humans and zombies.

KwaZulu-Natal singer Nondumiso Tembe has been cast in the massively succesful HBO vampire TV series True Blood.

And Cape Town-born actress Lesley-Ann Brandt has a part in the new Sam Worthington film Drift where she plays Hawaiian surfer chick Lani.

Worthington is the star of Avatar and Clash of the Titans. The film will be shot in Australia.

Recently L’Oréal face Terry Pheto was chosen to star in US soapie The Bold and the Beautiful.

Trey Songz is coming to South Africa to perform live on 26 and 27 August in celebration of Women’s Month.

Me & My Girls presents the sexy ‘Say Aah’ hitmaker in a concert that promises to be “fun, seductive and electrifying”.

The R&B star released his most recent album, ‘Passion, Pain & Pleasure’, in September 2010 and has been touring since. He recently performed at the BET Awards, held on 26 June.

His South African concerts will take place at the Wave House in Durban on Friday 26 August and then the following day, Saturday 27 August at the Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg.

General tickets for the Durban leg are R300.00 while Golden Circle tickets are R550.00. Johannesburg tickets are priced between R250.00 and R550.00, and can be bought at Computicket.

GRAMMY award-winning choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo hope that Hollywood producer and actor Tyler Perry will oversee a feature film on their journey to international stardom.

Andile Mqwebu, the group’s publicist, said that Tyler, who has produced films such as The Family That Preys, The Madea Series and The Diary of a Mad Black Woman, had been approached.

She said: “We are busy with talks to bring Tyler Perry on board. We do not have a concrete deal just yet, but it looks promising, and the people we are speaking to are as excited as we are about the project.”

The film will tell the story of the lives of each member of the acclaimed group. Mqwebu said Vusi Kunene, who played Jack Mabaso in Generations, might play Joseph Shabalala, the lead singer and founder of the group.