TINA VS TINA DRAMA
Music mogu Prosper Mkwaiwa's death eaves wife and nyatsi fighting
THE body of popular impresario Prosper Mkwaiwa , who will be buried today in Bronkhorstspruit, will allegedly be exhumed later and repatriated to his native Zimbabwe, thanks to his warring wives Tina Jaxa and Tina Dlangwana.
The two Tinas are embroiled in a catfight over who should be the chief mourner, the funeral arranger and ultimately the beneficiary of Mkwaiwa ’ s estate.
Jaxa of Madam & Eve fame married Mkwaiwa in community of property but separated about 10 years ago after being blessed with two boys.
She went back to Cape Town where she lived with the kids before taking them back to Mkwaiwa two years ago after a protracted maintenance battle.
Mkwaiwa paid lobola for Dlangwana about three years ago but they broke up last year after accusations and counter-accusations of infidelity.
Now the two women are warring over who should be Mkwaiwa’s widow and it appears that Dlangwana is losing the fight. She reportedly collapsed and was admitted to a local hospital on Friday as the fight took its toll.
Jaxa allegedly thwarted Dlangwana ’ s plan to bury Mkwaiwa in Zimbabwe today, arguing that she was not his legal wife and that she had no legal authority to decide where his body should be laid to rest.
The two are said to be competing to be the “chief widow” and have sat on two mourning mattrasses in separate rooms, comforted by different friends.
Police called in
Two independent sources, a relative and a family friend, confirmed that Jaxa and Dlangwana have been at each other’s throats over who should be the main mourner between them.
The relative, who did not want to be named, said the drama started last Sunday night when Dlangwana arrived at the house and found Jaxa being comforted by neighbours and members of the ANC.
“She blew her top
and shouted ‘ Hey wena Ufunani la?
Hamba (What do you want here? Go away). Jaxa just ignored her because she is a woman of class and did not want to stoop to Dlangwana’s low level, ” said the relative.
She said members of the ANC called the police who threw Dlangwana out of the house when she continued her tirade against Jaxa.
The source said the tension between the two soared the following day when Dlangwana returned to the house accompanied by unknown individuals.
“There she found ANC members and neighbours who told her to behave if she had issues which she wanted to raise. She told them that she was Mkwaiwa’s customary wife because he paid lobola for her and that she was entitled to take control of the funeral arrange- ments. But one of the neighbours told her that she vacated the house last year and that she and Prosper were in the process of divorcing.
“Dlangwana argued with them and asked Jaxa to produce evidence that she was indeed Prosper’s legal wife,” said the relative.
Jaxa, said the relative, obliged and went to Home Affairs where she obtained their marriage certificate and showed it to Dlangwana .
“But despite this Dlangwana still insisted she had the right to arrange Prosper ’ s funeral. She unlocked one of the bedrooms and used it as her mourning room. She told everybody and the media that she was in contact with Mkwaiwa’s relatives and that they agreed that he should be buried in Zimbabwe.
'They change plans'
“She also arranged that his memorial service be held in Newtown, ” said the relative.
But Jaxa insisted that Mkwaiwa be buried in South Africa and his relatives, who seemed to be on her side, agreed with her.
“She said it would not be possible for him to be buried in Zimbabwe this weekend because his ID states that he was a South African citizen. She said it would take time to overcome all the legal obstacles to have him buried in Zimbabwe today.”
Jaxa then asked Mkwaiwa’s parents to allow him to be buried in South Africa and then be exhumed after a few months and be reburied in Zimbabwe.
Mkwaiwa ’ s parents agreed, much to the disappointment of Dlangwana, who preferred the funeral to be put on hold until all the legal issues regarding his citizenship have been resolved, said the relative.
“What made matters worse was when the Mkwaiwas chose Jaxa to go and select a coffin for Prosper.”
The relative said Dlangwana then started taking her clothes off and said she needed to give them to Mkwaiwa because he was feeling cold. Then she collapsed.
“She was rushed to hospital and discharged later but disappeared. We don’t know where she is as she is not even answering her phone,” said the mole.
Jaxa and Dlangwana took their fight to the memorial service where they sat close to one another in silence. Mkwaiwa ’ s sister Melenie appealed to Dlangwana and Jaxa to bury their differences and work together.
A family friend said that the fight between the two women was a prelude to a legal battle over Mkwaiwa ’ s estate, which allegedly includes the Quench nightclub in Witbank, apartments in Rosebank, luxury cars and the Bronkhorstspruit house he bought but was still to be registered in his name.
Jaxa confirmed that she was organising Mkwaiwa’s funeral because she was his legal wife.
“I’m the legal wife and that even if she had asked me for permission to do whatever or have his memorial service wherever she wanted it to be held, I would be offended because I would ask her as the ex-girlfriend of the father of my kids if that was the right thing to do,” she said.
Dlangwana confirmed that she collapsed on Friday night because of her differences with Jaxa.
“I don’t know why I collapsed but maybe it is because of everything that happened. These people just keep on changing plans without talking to me. But please, people, leave me alone right now. I just want to mourn the death of my husband and I will deal with everything next week, ” she said.