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Sbahle Mpisane on her relationship with Itumeleng Khune: ‘I really love him’

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Sbahle Mpisane (PHOTO: Drum)
Sbahle Mpisane (PHOTO: Drum)

In a 2018 interview with Drum just weeks before her accident, Sbahle opened up about her romance with goal keeper Itumeleng Khune.

Sbahle Mpisane is currently well on her way to a full recover following her horrific car accident which left her in hospital for close to four months.

If there was anyone who was routing for her the most during this time it would be her long-time boyfriend, goal keeper Itumeleng Khune. From sharing weekly snaps of the Fitness bunny to loved-up messages about how she is his queen and how he can’t wait for her to make a full recovery.


In a 2018 interview with Drum just weeks before her accident, Sbahle opened up about her romance with goal keeper Itumeleng Khune.

For months they kept us guessing: were they or weren’t they back together? There’d been rumours the former power pair had rekindled their romance but they were keeping it firmly out of the public eye. There were no sneak peeks into their private lives this time round – no happy snaps of the two working out together or hanging out and having fun. Until Itumeleng Khune decided to let the world know how he felt: he had found a keeper.

The country’s top goalkeeper nearly broke the internet when he shared a picture of himself on bended knee in front of Sbahle Mpisane, referring to the businesswoman as “future wifey” in his post. The Durban-born fitness fundi said she was taken aback when the Kaizer Chiefs captain and Bafana Bafana number one dropped to his knees with a bouquet of flowers last month.

Itumeleng (31) wasn’t proposing, she tells us. “I am glad he didn’t because I’d laugh at him!” The post was all part of their special month of love celebrations. Sbahle and Itumeleng both celebrate their birthdays and the anniversary of the first time they got together in June, and his romantic post was just one of a string of loved-up snaps the soccer star dedicated to her.

Sbahle said her boyfriend is a joker who thought it would be funny to take the knee for his “queen”, as he calls her. “That’s who he is, though. Itu is funny,” said Sbahle, who in turns calls her guy “king”. The couple seem smitten after giving their relationship a second chance following their 2016 break-up. Marriage is definitely on the cards, but Sbahle (25) is in no hurry to walk down the aisle.

“We’re happy and satisfied and we’re definitely going to get married. But I’m not trying to get married at 25, so there’s no rush.” They’re happier than they’ve ever been – but will she spill the beans on what led to their much talked about break up? Sbahle paused for a minute. “I think Itu found me when I was reaching my peak,” she said. “Every time we fought I thought I could do better and find a Mr Right somewhere. And we’re both hard-headed.” But eventually they realised they couldn’t live without each other.

“We remained friends after the break-up and would still have lunch sometimes. “I always knew I was going to go back to him,” she adds. “I really love him – I was just waiting for him to beg me!”

Sbahle, a wellness and fitness motivator, met Itu through a mutual friend in 2015. They were both dating other people and it definitely wasn’t love at first sight, she said. It was only when she was stuck at the airport on her birthday that she started seeing Itu in a different light. She’d flown to Joburg to celebrate and Khune had called to wish her a happy birthday. S h e asked him if he could give her a lift and he immediately agreed.

 “We were stuck in traffic for two hours. I’m not going to lie, I was kind of hooked. “He’s funny and lovable, and I had never looked at him that way before. I realised he’s actually a cool guy. When I was leaving the car, he asked for a kiss and I said ‘maybe a baby kiss’.”

 It was the start of a whirlwind romance. The following day he asked her out and a few days later, at his birthday party, he introduced her to his friends as “babe”. Sbahle was surprised by how open Itu was – it was early days and she wasn’t ready for the world to know about their blossoming relationship. “I denied it to my parents and to everyone,” she said.

“When he came to Durban, I didn’t know where to hide him because I was denying the relationship. I would avoid going out with him and say I was sick.” She’s since opened up about Itu to her multimillionaire parents, business tycoons Shauwn (48) and Sbu Mpisane (43), but the soccer star hasn’t been formally introduced to her dad, even though he was at her umemulo ceremony last year (Coming of age in style, 10 August 2017). He sat with the other guests just like everyone else, she said. “My dad is very traditional. The only introduction will be when he pays lobola – we don’t have time to play here.

Sbahle is now out of hospital and is recovering at home.

The day she left the hospital Itumeleng Khune shared snaps of her on his Instagram page.

Read more: Pics of Sbahle Mpisane looking healthier in hospital emerge

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