Patience Bambalele

Patience Bambalele

Joyous Celebration star Ntokozo Mbambo and her longtime lover, Nqubeko Mbatha, will stroll down the aisle on April 26.

Mbambo refused to divulge details about the wedding, but confirmed that she would be saying the magic words - "til death do us part"- and mean it, too, unless the normal showbiz routine of jealousy and lies rent their union. Mbambo, who comes from the Bluff in Durban, said she was looking forward to her big day.

"I can't wait," Mbambo said. "I'm looking forward to this marriage because I prayed a lot to God for it. I asked him to give me a sign that Nqubeko is the one. He did.

"I knew Nqubeko was the one from the time we met but I needed confirmation. The wedding will start on Saturday April 26 with a Western ceremony at which I will be wearing a white dress. The next day we will do the traditional wedding."

Her parents have already received the lobolo but Mbambo would not say how much her hubby-to-be had to cough up. The singer, who has also released two solo albums, said she knew Mbatha before they joined Joyous Celebration.

"We were just friends then," she said. "We became lovers after we joined Joyous Celebration"

She described Mbatha as one of the best young bassists and piano players in the country. He has worked with acts such as Bongo Muffin, Joyous Celebration, Swazi Dlamini and Keke.