EFF leader Julius Malema and his wife, Mantwa Matlala, are reportedly living apart, with claims that Matlala moved out of their shared home to an apartment in Bryanston, north of Johannesburg, in 2025 .
An anonymous source described the couple’s relationship as having been “rocky for some time,” while noting they are keeping personal matters private .
The couple has not publicly addressed the reports.
Speculation about their marriage first emerged in December 2024 after Malema removed photos of his wife from his Instagram account . At the time, *The Citizen* published an article suggesting possible divorce, but later retracted it, stating they had failed to obtain Malema’s comment .
On 27 December 2024, Malema posted an Instagram story celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary with a photo of the couple at dinner, captioning it: “This is what a decade of marriage looks like” .
According to the latest source, the couple continues to appear together at selected public events, particularly amid Malema’s ongoing legal proceedings. This is reportedly to avoid drawing attention to their personal life while he faces court .
Malema appeared at the East London Magistrate’s Court on 23 January 2026 for pre-sentencing proceedings after being convicted in October 2025 on five firearm-related charges from a 2018 EFF rally . During the hearing, social worker Jessie Thompson testified that a custodial sentence would affect Malema’s three children, aged 19, 9 and 7 . The State is opposing a non-custodial sentence . Sentencing has been postponed to a later date .
