As celebrities let their hair down at the Durban July at the weekend, celeb queen Uyanda Mbuli and Live presenter Bonang Matheba were nowhere to be seen.

The two avid red carpet walkers, who have been a permanent feature at the event for years, opted to stay away this year to avoid the prying eyes of the media and all the gossipmongers.

The two, who usually make headlines for being the best-dressed at the event, have been hogging the headlines with their domestic woes lately.

Matheba opted to go to New York instead of attending South Africa's most social racing meeting.

She told Sowetan she was coming back later this week.

"I'm going to New York to do my own things. It's a mini-holiday. I am going to meet up with some friends and just relax."

Asked if her decision had anything to do with the assault case against her former lover DJ Euphonik, she said she went on holiday "at around this time" every year.

Uyanda, who is embroiled in a messy divorce with her banker hubby Sisa, said she was invited to the Loliwe marquee but turned the invite down because she was "not attending events anymore".

"I am tired of these things. I want to concentrate on my business and other important things in my life."

She said the last time she was at a big social event was at the Met back in January.

Interestingly, Sisa and DJ Euphonik are getting on with their lives while Uyanda and Matheba appear to be wallowing in self pity.

Sisa was a guest at the popular Lifestyle Oasis marquee while DJ Euphonik was playing at the Miller marquee.

Meanwhile, Real Gobhoza presenter Pearl Thusi, who was recently questioned by the Gauteng crime intelligence unit investigating the case of the alleged "Facebook rapist" Thabo Bester, braved curious glares and attended the race.

Thusi who held her own at the event, admitted to Sowetan that she was taking strain over the Bester issue.

"This week has been hell for me. This guy wants attention."

She said she could not comment further because the matter was in "the police's hands".

The weather was ideal - deep blue skies, fluffy white clouds and not too hot - for revellers to show off their show-stopping dresses and smart suits, but few followed this year's theme, A Material World.

Most people made little effort in the fashion stakes.

Celebrities and socialites turned out in grand style, but some were disappointing, including TV personality Minenhle Dlamini, who came in a rather too revealing see-through dress.

The dress, designed by Asanda Madyibhi, grabbed all the attention.

Dlamini left women's tongues wagging widely, while men were drooling.

- johnz@sowetan.co.za