Celeb scoop: Grace Mondlana's controversial tribute and Mia le Roux's engagement steal the spotlight

Another week, another weekly scoop of celeb drama and gossip: from Mzansi to Hollywood!

From funeral drama and long-awaited recognition to a joyful and sparkly engagement, here is your latest entertainment buzz for this week:

Grace Mondlana criticised amid ex-boyfriend’s funeral

South African content creator Grace Mondlana's tribute to her ex-boyfriend, who died in a car accident, quickly drew criticism despite being a moment of grief.

Mondlana shared memories as well as pictures of the memorial service, which invited criticism and opinions from the public.

For almost three days, new information would come to light about their relationship and Mondlana faced backlash for attending the funeral and also sharing that she paid for the funeral and, without her, there would not have been a funeral at all, in a leaked WhatsApp voicenote.

Mia le Roux gets engaged

Reigning Miss SA Mia le Rox announced on social media that is she officially engaged to her long time boyfriend, Luke Tenoever.

The beauty queen also revealed that she has been engaged for a while but that she decided to let the moment sink in before sharing it with the public.

Le Roux joins the list of Miss SA titleholders who either got married or engaged this year, including Zozibini Tunzi and Natasha Joubert.

Rachel and Siya Kolisi spark reunion rumours

Springboks star Siya Kolisi was spotted walking with a woman who resembles his ex-wife Rachel Kolisi at the airport, and the internet is speculating that it is indeed Rachel, while others believe that it might be Kate Woods, the director of Adidas South Africa.

This video that was shared by a TikTok user has garnered attention as many have shared their opinions about the woman who was spotted with the Springboks captain.

Despite the online chatter, the identity of the woman remains a mystery.

Boity Thulo integrates music with interior design 

In a brief interview with “Independent Media Lifestyle”, South African rapper and actress, Boity Thulo, opened up about merging interior design and music.

“I want to figure out how to merge it with my voice and make it me, but still enjoy something that I've been wanting to explore for a long time,” Thulo said.

“For me, music and style, they're so similar. I like what I like. I want to express myself the way I want to express myself,” she added.

Emtee pays tribute to AKA

The rapper took to X to share a heartfelt tribute to the late AKA as he reminisced about their times together before his passing.

He shared: “Some y’all idols don’t even know you exist. I shared stages, past blunts, cracked jokes and won awards together. I’m talkin’ about the one and only @akaworldwide.”

This is not the first time that Emtee has expressed a heartfelt gratitude towards the late rapper, as he once appeared on a podcast and revealed that AKA was one of the people who loved him for him and that he never judged him.

Khanyi Mbau became the first African to receive a nomination at the Netflix Reality Superlative Awards

South African actress Khanyi Mbau made history and raised the SA flag high as the first African to receive a nod at the international Netflix Reality Universe Superlative awards.

Mbau has been nominated under the category of Main Character Energy at the prestigious awards for her reality TV show stints on “Young, Famous & African”.

This also marks Mbau’s first ever nomination since she embarked on her acting career 23 years ago.

Young Stunna shares creative insights about his collaboration with Swayvee on “US” remix

Amapiano star Young Stunna jumped on the viral track “US” by Nigerian artist, Swayvee, and shared the inspiration and creative process behind his verse on the song in an interview with “Independent Media Lifestyle.”

“The song is about love, but I wanted to express the balance between the hustle and the heart. Even though I’m on the grind, the love is still there,” he said.

He added that the visuals of the track will tell the full story of love, distance, connection and culture.

Siya Kolisi and Jesse Kriel captivate the masses with Igwijo

In a recent playful TikTok clip, Kolisi gave fans a glimpse of Kriel belting out another igwijo (a traditional Xhosa style of call-and-response singing) tune. 

Igwijo is a remarkable tool for bringing people together - whether it’s to celebrate victories, navigate grief or create a sense of belonging.

 Igwijo fosters emotional expression and the songs have become symbols of unity, celebration and inclusive patriotism.

Demi-Leigh Tebow shared that she gave birth and revealed the name of her baby

Former Miss SA, Demi-Leigh Tebow, gave birth to her baby girl, Daphne Reign Tebow, on Sunday, July 6.

The beauty queen has been embracing her new chapter as she shared with her followers a heartfelt post about the meaning behind her daughter’s names captivated many who have followed her pregnancy journey.

Tebow also shared with the world beautiful pictures of her newborn baby as she revealed that she is her and her husband’s “answered prayer”.

Mel B ties the knot for the third time to her hairstylist

Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, affectionately known as Mel B, has married her hairstylist, Rory McPhee.

The couple exchanged nuptials on Saturday, July 5, in the Crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, the very same venue where Princess Diana and Prince Charles once exchanged vows.

Her wedding comes after she went through two divorces and a very public struggle with domestic abuse.