The mere mention of his name once commanded so much respect and praise. When Bonginkosi 'Zola' Dlamini (38) hosted his own magazine shows, Zola 7, which aired on SABC 1 between 2002 and 2010, he became a real role model. Many saw him as a hero out to help improve the lives of ordinary South Africans.
At the height of his career, he seemed to have the world at his feet, a successful music and television career, a clothing line and high profile endorsements such as a United Nations Children's Funds Goodwill Ambassadorship.
But despite his flourishing career, Zola's life soon began to unravel. This was the star who loudly spoke out against the abuse of women and other social ills, while allegedly committing these offences privately. SO what happened to him?
Drama started to follow Zola when allegations of abuse, and not paying 'papgeld', appeared in the tabloids.
In a widely reported incident that took place in 2010, it was alleged that Zola battered his ex-girlfriend, Nombuso Zondi, at his Melville home. At the time, he didn't deny that he repeatedly slapped her, but he claimed it was in self-defence. And so his downfall began.
Zola 7 was canned and his endorsement contract with Cell C was cancelled. He faced allegations of cheating a producer out of the song Ngizokulinda Uzubuye, and he parted ways with record label Ghetto Ruff after an ongoing scuffle with Lance Stehr.
As his personal life was being splashed across magazines and newspapers, he shifted the blame to the media instead.
"The media ruined my career and now you want to come to me," he said in an interview with Drum.
Despite all this, in 2011 he was given a chance by e.tv, which commissioned reality show Rolling with Zola about his turbulent life. When the show ended that year, he kept a low profile and eventually re-emerged in 2015 as Isaac in Vuzu Amp's series Ayeye. Then he clinched a presenting gig as the host of Mzansi Magic's Utatakho.
However, it was a short-lived affair, with the presenter claiming his increased workload led to his departure after just eight episodes. Even though Mzansi Magic didn't say much about him quitting, reports suggested it had something to do with a woman's claims that Zola was not looking after his child.
Recently, however, a source revealed that he has secretly been married for seven years. A Sunday newspaper reported that the star is married to Sibongile Nkabinde (32), and she had been living with Zola's mother in Soweto since 2009.
The couple allegedly has two daughters and are expecting a third child. So far, Zola has refused to comment. Sibongile also said she doesn't want to talk abouyt her "husband". She did, however, confirmed that she lives with ZOla's mother.
Sibongile's close friend who broke the story said Zola's hit song, Sibongile, was dedicated to his wife. If this relationship is a sign of stability in the star's life, hopefully it will bode well for his career too.
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