CABINET minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams is divorcing her businessman husband, Thato Abrahams.
The pair announced their separation in a joint statement on Thursday, 7 November.
“After 11 years of marital union, it’s with a great deal of care and consideration that we have made the difficult decision to mutually and amicably end our marriage,” they said in a statement.
The two didn’t give reasons for their divorce but only thanked family and friends who have been with them since their marriage in 2012.
“We appreciate your positive support as we move forward and start new chapters.
“It is our united decision, and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy at this time,” they said.
According to the statement, they will always have love for one another, but they have decided to go their separate ways and part ways with mutual respect for each other, and they remain good friends.
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The pair said they will cherish the memories they have shared as husband and wife.
“Many of you have been on this journey with us from the beginning, and we appreciate your positive support as we move forward and start new chapters.
“Thank you for your prayers and well wishes,” they said.
In 2018, Sunday World reported that the couple’s marriage was rocked by an extra-marital affair after Stella, who serves as minister of small business development, found out Thato allegedly slept with his nyatsi, the then ANC Youth League national executive committee member Sizophila Mkhize in their matrimonial house in Silverton, Pretoria.
In 2020, Stella was found guilty and paid a R1 000 fine after being charged for breaching lockdown rules to curb the spread of COVID-19 when she visited former ANC MP Mduduzi Manana for lunch.
She was the minister of Communications and Digital Technologies at the time.
Their photo was circulated on social media showing the minister at Mduduzi's home during the lockdown and social distancing period.
She apologised to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the National Command Centre and the South African society at large for her wrongdoing.
Stella and Thato could not be reached for a comment on their statement before publication.
