Johannesburg - Generations actress Sophie Ndaba and estranged husband Bishop Keith Harrington were never legally married.
The couple staged a surprise wedding in December, but the matrimony barely lasted two months.
This week, the bishop's recent and former lover Ruth Mazibuko told City Press that the dubious man of the cloth had proposed marriage to her "because he said he's not married to Sophie".
"He used to wear a wedding ring when we were together, but when I asked him if he was married he said 'not really'.
He told me Sophie had told him about the wedding minutes before it happened and that they never signed any marriage contract," she said.
'Using my body'
Mazibuko and Harrington started dating in May, barely a month after he separated from Ndaba after allegations of past sexual conquests and "fake" degrees surfaced about him.
Mazibuko said their affair ended after three months of Harrington "using my body".
On Friday, Harrington admitted to being in a relationship with Mazibuko, whom he knew as Princess Ngobeni.
"I went to visit her around the time Sophie had taken out a statement that we were not together, so I was hurt.
"I just wanted someone to talk to but this woman was more than I bargained for. I realised (Mazibuko) wasn't okay because she cried for me to sleep over at her place the first day we met," said Harrington.
He added: "Yes, I did tell her that Sophie and I hadn't signed a marriage certificate because there was so much confusion about me in the media, which is why we decided to separate."
Speaking to City Press, the scorned Mazibuko vowed she would "humiliate and hurt" Harrington for the heartache he caused her by saying he would marry her, only to change his mind and confess to wanting Ndaba back.
When City Press called Ndaba to get her side of the tale, she said it was only through media reports that she found out about Harrington's plot.
"I am aware that Keith wants me back because of what he said in (the media), but I haven't yet met with the (two) preachers (he apparently sent)," said Ndaba, who wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not a reunion was likely.
The couple staged a surprise wedding in December, but the matrimony barely lasted two months.
This week, the bishop's recent and former lover Ruth Mazibuko told City Press that the dubious man of the cloth had proposed marriage to her "because he said he's not married to Sophie".
"He used to wear a wedding ring when we were together, but when I asked him if he was married he said 'not really'.
He told me Sophie had told him about the wedding minutes before it happened and that they never signed any marriage contract," she said.
'Using my body'
Mazibuko and Harrington started dating in May, barely a month after he separated from Ndaba after allegations of past sexual conquests and "fake" degrees surfaced about him.
Mazibuko said their affair ended after three months of Harrington "using my body".
On Friday, Harrington admitted to being in a relationship with Mazibuko, whom he knew as Princess Ngobeni.
"I went to visit her around the time Sophie had taken out a statement that we were not together, so I was hurt.
"I just wanted someone to talk to but this woman was more than I bargained for. I realised (Mazibuko) wasn't okay because she cried for me to sleep over at her place the first day we met," said Harrington.
He added: "Yes, I did tell her that Sophie and I hadn't signed a marriage certificate because there was so much confusion about me in the media, which is why we decided to separate."
Speaking to City Press, the scorned Mazibuko vowed she would "humiliate and hurt" Harrington for the heartache he caused her by saying he would marry her, only to change his mind and confess to wanting Ndaba back.
When City Press called Ndaba to get her side of the tale, she said it was only through media reports that she found out about Harrington's plot.
"I am aware that Keith wants me back because of what he said in (the media), but I haven't yet met with the (two) preachers (he apparently sent)," said Ndaba, who wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not a reunion was likely.